A Mid Summer Night's Dream Remix
by Lonewingwriter
Summary: It happens in one single night, a night in a middle of the summer, yet it changes the life of four lovers. From love, to hate, to resentment; conflict begins from misunderstanding, but it is misunderstanding that resolves it all. Two main couples, endless troubles. Ichihime, Renruki, and others.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

This story is a Bleach remix of the play "A Mid Summer Night's Dream" written by William Shakespeare. This is my contribution in the FLOL FanWork Challenge 2011-2012.

For those who watched/read the play, no need for a summary, I guess. However, I make some major changes in the plot to make Ichihime truer and more romantic.

Here is the summary for those who have no idea what I'm talking about. Two pairs of star-crossed lovers, one shy fairy, one troublesome married couple, one love potion, together in a magical forest and the result is more and more troubles for those that are in love.

**Pairing: **Main pairing: Ichihime, RenRuki. Side pairings: Hitsuhina, Uraha x yoruichi. **Also **one sided Ichiruki and one sided Renhime (Renji x Orihime), but those two pairings are the results of misunderstanding and mistakes, so you should not take them seriously.

**Disclaimers: **Characters in this story belong to Kubo. The plot belongs to William Shakespeare. I also took some lines directly from play "A Mid Summer Night's Dream"; I quoted those lines at the end of the story. Some other lines I modified from the play or translated it in modern language. However, I also wrote most of the lines in my own language. In short, if you see something intelligent in this story, it belongs to Shakespeare. If you see something stupid, it belongs to me. 60% content of this story belongs to Kubo and Shakespeare, 40% belongs to me.

This story is beated by **Airrieal****.**

(2/17/12)

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><p>"<em>Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;<em>

_And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind:"_

Helena, Act I, Scene I

In the mid of a summer night, anything could happen.

Love was never fair nor it was always well received.

Cupid liked to chase lovers around before granting them the ultimate freedom for their struggling and confused mind, bringing them the true meaning of happiness.

In the land of Athen lived the unhappiest girl in the world. Although she was fair, she was self-perceived as unsightly to look at. Although she was witty, she was self-perceived as clumsy and unintelligent. Although she was in love, she was never gaining enough courage to confess her feelings, and, therefore, having to see the one she loved hopelessly chase after another girl who loved him not.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ 0*...*0 ZZZZZZZZZZZ

Today was a very important day to Hitsugaya Toushiro, the Athen's duke, for he was going to announce his wedding with his beloved, the beauty Momo Hinamori, in the four days time. So why did he have to listen to this nonsense about some love triangles anyway? Hitsugaya irritably leaned his cheek against the back of his hand as Byakuya Kuchiki, an Athen nobleman, stated his course.

His face stoic, the highly Byakuya, in a black cloak with golden threat embroidered around the margin, calmly explained his situation.

"Your Highness, I hope you are doing well today." Not waiting for Hitsugaya to respond, he headed straight to the point, " Full of vexation, I now accuse this villain," he pointed to the red haired fighter standing behind him, "by the named of Renji Abarai for using witchcraft to seduce my little sister Rukia Kuchiki and making her act against my will, refusing to marry the mighty gentleman Ichigo Kurosaki", he pointed to the orange haired warrior behind him, "whom I, with my whole heart, choose as her one and only future husband."

Renji Abarai, in his light armor suit, immediately jumped in front of Byakuya and pointed his finger at the nobleman eagerly to defend himself, "Hey, Byakuya, you gave me false accusation.". Indeed, he was too eager to fight back that he was completely ignorant of the way Byakuya's eyebrows twitched lightly when Renji dared to call him by his first name in such an uncivilized manner. "I never used witchcraft, not that such thing exists anyway. You are so stupid for believing in that crap", he now came next to the raven haired beauty and held her hand, "My love for Rukia is true and pure."

Byakuya closed his eyes briefly to press all of his frustration down his throat before opening them again and looked directly at Hitsugaya, "Your Highness, please look at his face and body. Tattoos are strictly forbidden here since it is believed wide and far that such things are the result of magic practice and will bring misfortune upon us all."

Renj sniffed his nose loudly, 'You're such a superstitious and outdated fool. Again, such things do not exist, Mr. Know It All. And everyone has a tattoo nowadays. It's to show how strong a fighter is."

Byakuya just made a mocking sound in his throat and murmured, "Savage."

The raven haired lady, in her light blue peplo, could not stand the unfair treatment her brother was giving her beloved any more and decided to defend him through and through, "Oni-sama, please don't say such harsh words toward Renji, I am the one who designed those tattoos and asked him to have them on his face and body. They are the tokens of my love for him. Aren't they cute?" Rukia's eyes shone with pride as Renji nodded ardently and they locked their eyes with each other in a loving gaze, full of happiness, hands holding tight.

Body shaking in pure rage, Byakuya pointed at the in-love couple and told Hitsugaya, "Your Highness, I believe you have now witnessed the fatal effect of dark magic this villain imposed on my little sister. For the nineteen years I raised her with all my love and discipline, I have molded her into a true lady. Never did I teach her to talk back to me. Never did I teach her to hold hands with another male, much less an untamed beast. And never did I teach her to lie to me to protect the said beast. The rash behavior she just displayed was no doubt the proof of Renji's evil deeds. Your Highness, please grant me the ancient privilege of Athen which allows me to either give her to this gentleman whom I choose or to send her to her death."

Rukia and Renji looked at each other in horror, mouths wide opened.

"Your Highness. Your Highness" Seeing no response from the Duke, Byakuya tried to get his attention. Your Highness, please give me your acceptance."

_Hinamoni-chan in the white wedding dress, flowers on her head, dancing with me around the fire. Oh, she looks so beautiful under the moon. She's just like Diana, so pure yet strong and..._ "Your Highness."..._so pure, yet strong and... _"Your Highness" _…so pure, yet strong and... _"Your highness please give me your acceptance". God damn it, those nobles were so troublesome. The girl should just follow whatever her idiot brother wanted and gave him a break already. He really needed to meet his bride-to-be now and asked her what she wanted for their wedding dinner or what dress she liked the best, or... "Your Highness".

Trying to hide his irritation, the Duke, in his white cloak with small blue ocean waves embroidered around the margin, finally decided to take matters into his own hands and shut these troublemakers up once and for all, "What do you think, Rukia? Hear my advise, fair lady. It's always wise to follow the rule, to know who is the one you should listen to. You, as a young maiden, should think of your brother as a god and follow whatever he wants, because it's what written in the law. And besides, Kurosaki Ichigo is a worthy gentleman..."

"And so is Renji."

Hitsugaya almost lost his facade and was about to frown but he held it in just in time. Damn that little brat, to cut his brilliant speech and talk back to him like this. What did Byakuya teach her anyway? She was no where near to be a true lady. _You'll get it, you little naughty girl, I'll make you suffer for this._

"Kurosaki Ichigo is the best warrior in this city, no, I believe in this whole land. He has fought countless battles and always wins..." The Duke decided to shut her up completely with his undeniable argument, but before he could continue with his genius talk...

"Renji is no less a fighter. He has fought valiantly to protect this town from every single intrusion. If you allow him to go out of the town and join the battles, I'm sure he'll just get as good records as Kurosaki." Rukia still insisted to piss the Duke and her brother off to no end.

_You're so gonna get it, you little brat. Now, I will take every measure possible to make sure you will never get together with your beloved, Ms. Smartly. _

"He might be. But in this situation..." Hitsugaya briefly looked at Byakuya, signaling him to back him up when the situation called, "since your brother has said so, Kurosaki Ichigo must be the worthier."

"I'd rather my brother look with my eyes." Rukia looked at the Duke ferociously.

"Rather your eyes with his judgment look." (1) The Duke looked back at her with equal fierce.

Byakuya decided it was the time to settle thing up too, "Rukia, Renji is indeed an unworthy suitor. He comes from a commoner's family, a son of a farmer. You are from the oldest noble family of this land. You must not shame our family. Open your eyes and look at Kurosaki Ichigo. You're destined, even the first letter of our last name is the same. It's KK for Kurosaki and Kuchiki."

Sure desperation brought the humorous side out of the ever placid Byakuya, but the Duke had to admit he got his point.

Rukia's eyes shone in absolute delight and she clapped her hands together, "You're right. We must be destined." Both men nodded in satisfaction. Thank god that she finally saw it. "The first letter of our first name is the same. It's RR for Renji and Rukia." Rukia smiled in happiness as Renji took her hands and their eyes were locked into each other loving gazes again.

The brother still tried to cling on his last hope, "But Renji's hair is much uglier than Kurosaki. It looks like a pineapple..."

"But Oni-sama, it's the hair style that I chose for him. Isn't it cute?" Rukia stroked her lover's hair lightly in pride while he nodded ardently in response. "And besides", she continued, "It's Kurosaki's hair that is ugly. It's so plain and orange. What is it? An orange? He has no style at all."

Hitsugaya sighed. _Sorry girl, but I have to end this. I really really want to meet my future wife now. I can't delay it any further for this nonsense. _"Rukia Kuchiki, I'll ask you one last time, do you agree to marry Ichigo Kurosaki or not? Fair Rukia, please do take great consideration. Your future depends on it. If you do not abide to this marriage, you will either be sent to death or be isolated from the society of man forever, in a nunnery."

Rukia looked at Renji one last time in sorrow before answering the Duke, "I will not wed Ichigo Kurosaki . Let my body dry in isolation but my heart will ever be full of life for Renji."

"Rukia, please think again." Kurosaki Ichigo stepped up after his long silence. He was indeed a true gentleman. Although he was a mighty warrior, he wore just right the clothing in occasion such as this; under his dark blue cloak was a white plain silky chiton that wrapped his elegant but muscular body perfectly. Moreover, he had kept his silence for the authorities to talk until he could not stand any further, seeing the love of his life be sent to the nunnery. Hitsugaya had to admit Ichigo was the true heir of the highly influential Kurosaki clan and a model for all Athen men to follow. He was calm and well mannered in social situations but ferocious and courageous in war. He was the pride of all Athens, a hero who had fought against the Dark Lord Azien Sousuke single handed and brought peace back to the world. Did Rukia have her eyes behind her head? Girls would drool over to be glanced at by Ichigo, but she flat out refused, rather accepting to be caged for the rest of her life than to be with such a gentleman. Love was indeed unexplainable.

Ichigo looked at Rukia with begging eyes, "Rukia, relent, and think for your future." He then turned to Renji with ragging eyes, "You, stay away from Rukia. You're the seed of her destruction. Why are you insisting to ruin her future and interfere with my certain right? Yield, Renji, to her brother's wish and mine."

Renji put his hand on the sword at his side and returned the hateful look, "Yes, Ichigo, you have her brother's love. Go and marry him. And let me have my beloved Rukia."

Byakuya curled his fingers into a fist, "Hiss, you lowly creature. Yes, he has my love and what is mine, my love shall render him. And she is mine, and all my right of her I do estate unto Ichigo." (2)

Renji turned his gaze onto the Duke with full of determination, "Your Highness, I am no lack of quality as a fighter than he is. I contribute no less to Athen than he does. I compensate my lack of social status by working my way out and become the first lieutenant of the Athen's army. My possession is now in no doubt no less than his. But my love for Rukia is ten times more true and passionate. Then why can't I be with her? Ichigo, go to Orihime Inoue. She is the sweetest lady with the kindest heart who has to suffer too much pain because of your denseness."

That was it. He began to have a headache. Massaging his temples lightly, Hitsugaya announced, "I have to confess I have heard enough. Rukia, you have four days time to think over your course. Use it well, fair lady. I have some urgent business that I need to attend now. Fare you well, lady and gentlemen." With that he swiftly left the room.

XxXxXxXxX

Byakuya soon took his sister off and Ichigo immediately followed their footsteps, but Renji still stood paralyzed in the room, trying to register what had happened. He sighed, "The course of true love never did run smoothly," (3) but hold on, he remembered Rukia secretly threw something off at the corner when she left. He picked the piece of paper up and stood dumbfound... He didn't understand it one bit. The only thing he knew was that there were sure a lot of bunnies fooling around. He might need Orihime Inoue, Rukia's best friend since childhood to help him decipher these codes.

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><p><strong>AN: **

(1) The line "Rather your eyes with his judgment look." is taken directly from the play

(2) This line is taken directly from the play: "And what is mine my love shall render him. And she is mine, and all my right of her I do estate unto Demetrius."

(3) The line "The course of true love never did run smoothly," is taken directly from the play.

The line "The course of true love never did run smooth" is taken directly from the play.

I'm extremely nervous I could barely breathe now. I'm writing a remix for one of Shakespeare's play! I was afraid, but I want to try nevertheless. I have been writing this for half a year and pondering on every single words. It has been my dream to be able to write and publish it, so please give me some constructive criticism of how to improve or just simply tell me what you think about this. Is it difficult to understand, to follow the story? Does the beginning sound boring to you? There will be lot of Ichihime next chapter and the chapter after that though.

I had four out of five chapters written, so the update speed depends mostly on my beta.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:**

Thank you, everyone for reading this story.

Special thanks to:** ranipaki, codegal, nypsy, MiszIceQueen10, zodious, RukiaGallega,** and **Pisces00** for reviewing the first chapter.

**Disclamer:** Characters in this story belong to Kubo, the plot belongs to Shakespeare.

However, the content of this chapter is my original work. This is where I twist the plot a little bit in order to explain what will happen in the forest in later chapters. This is the only chapter that belong to me without any Shakespeare's lines or reference.

Thank you, **Airrieal** for beating this story.

(3/18/12)

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><p>Lady Orihime Inoue opened her window in great delight, happily humming her favorite songs while feeding the birds with her left over bread and letting them rest on the back of her hand. Today was indeed a very cheerful day. It was only four more days until the wedding of the Duke and Lady Momo Hinamori. How great it was to be with your beloved and live happily ever after. Orihime opened the door and danced around in her plain white peplo covered partly by her light pink cloak, with the birds crowding around her, singing the first song of the day; her hair cascaded down to her waist and was illuminated by the sun like a silky band of golden threats. She suddenly stopped as someone was running to her place at full speed. She turned around to face the mighty Renji, her best friend's secret lover, or maybe not secret anymore since she heard that the words about the couple somehow had found it way into Rukia's brother's ears and he had made a fuss over it. She wondered how Rukia was doing now.<p>

Renji panted, his body was dampened in sweat, but he still managed to hand her a winkled piece of paper, "Orihime, I mean, Lady Inoue, please help me decipher these codes."

Orihime smiled and signaled him to go into the house with her. As he sat down, she brought tea to the table and gently asked him if he wanted some.

"Thanks, Ori... I mean, I'm grateful for your honor, I mean, I'm honor to have some Lady Ori..." He shook his head frustratedly at his inability to say the right words.

Orihime chuckled and sat at the opposite side of the small wooden rectangular table, covered by a white cloth with blue flower laces, "I guess you are still finding it difficult to adapt with the elite class, aren't you? No need for formality with me. Just call me Orihime like you used to when we first met."

He merrily pounded his fist on the table, "Really? It's a great help, Orihime. I mean the whole noble speeches are so stupid. Honor this and honor that, Lady this and Lady that. My tongue twisted so hard that I think it might break. I don't know how could you put up with this shit everyday."

Orihime stood up and lowered her legs gracefully, "It's my honor to have such exquisite praise from your golden mouth, Sir Abarai. It's only a matter of practice. With your abundant wit, I'm sure you'll master it in no time, Sir."

Then, they all burst out in uncontrollable laughter. Renji wiped his tears away, "Thanks, Orihime, you made me feel much better now. I just had a terrible meeting with the _Lords, _and I couldn't understand half of what they said. What's up with the 'Full of vexation, I now accuse this villain by the named of Renji Abarai for using witchcraft to seduce my little sister Rukia Kuchiki and making her act against my will, refusing to marry the mighty gentleman Ichigo Kurosaki whom I, with my whole heart, choose as her one and only future husband.' How the hell could he say this ridiculously long sentence without biting his own tongue? Or why the Duke had to say "fair Rukia this" and "fair Rukia that" or when he was tired of it, he changed it to fair maiden, fair lady, fair maid. God, educated people are so troublesome. Why do they have to make everything complicated? Just to show off their wits?"

After another long laughter was a brief silence. Orihime looked down and said in her soft voice, "It must be very tough for you."

Renji turned his head away to graze at the window, "If it's for my Rukia, it's nothing." He sighed, "but then they said that if she does not agree to marry Ichigo, she has to go to the nunnery."

Orihime clutched her lap and asked him in her trembling voice, "What will you do then Renji?"

Still not turning his head toward her, he said, almost whispering, "For her future, I might just give her up. It's better than letting her be prisoned in a nunnery for the rest of her life."

Orihime sighed, "there must be another way." She looked at the piece of paper and cheerfully asked Renji, "You want me to decipher this, right Renji?". This should be a good distraction. It pained her heart to see him like this.

Renji just nodded his head silently as Orihime looked at the paper in high concentration. She spread the paper out on the table for both of them to see and pointed to him the first picture.

"Look, Renji. The chappy with red pineapple hair at the top left corner is you, and with the mini hearts around it means 'Dear the love of my life, Renji'. Pleased at the way Renji's face brightened at the way his lover wrote to him, Orihime continued, "The chappy with black cloak must be her brother and the white haired chappy with a crown on its head must be his Highness, the Duke. Well..."

She looked at the picture, reluctant of what to say. "Hum, she drew a lot of spirals around their heads and made their faces a little weird, and his Highness's head is bigger than her brother's head, then there are waving hands right after this,so I guess it means 'My brother is an idiot, and the duke is even a bigger idiot, just ignore them'. Oh, and there is a big hammer above their head, so it means 'I wish I could break their heads open to see what is in those big empty vessels.'"

Renji laughed, "Oh, my Rukia is so smart. She could not be more right."

Orihime looked at him and smiled, "Then when she drew a raven haired chappy with big puppy eyes like this it means, 'Don't worry, my love. I just got a very very great idea that could help us get out of this mess.'"

Renji jumped out of his seat excitedly, "Oh, I cannot wait to see what my love has for us. Whatever she has, it must be the most genius idea ever."

Then Orihime laughed softly, "ok, then there is a scene of the two chappies, raven haired and red haired, holding hands, running away from a group of chappies with black hair, white haired and orange hair respectively, between the two groups are money and swords and clothing. So after I read their facial expression, it means that 'Let's elope, Renji, and leave everything behind to begin a new life, and let those stupid jerks chasing after us for the rest of their pathetic lives."

Renji jumped around in complete happiness and punched his head lightly with his fist, "Elope. Why didn't I think of it before? My Rukia is really a genius." He turned his head around, heading to the door. "Thanks, Orihime. I have to get pack now. I can't wait to see her again."

Orihime hesitantly raised her hand toward him, "But Renji, are you willing to give up everything for her? You have worked so hard to be at where you are right now. If you agree to leave with her, you will become a criminal and have to live the rest of your life in the shadow, running away and hiding forever."

Renji tightened his grip on the door handle, he looked at her, eyes burning with fire, and he generated this aura that made her shiver. It was like an aura of a lion ready to face its toughest battle. The air suddenly became sharp and intense. "I love Rukia. She is all that matters to me. Since I met her three years ago, I have worked hard just so that I can one day gain an equal social status and propose to her, but none of what I did seemed to be good enough. They would never accept me into their social class no matter what I contributed for Athen. She is out of my reach since the moments we were born, but I loved her and promised to make her happy. I will not go back on my words. I will bring her to a city where the law of Athen cannot reach us and marry her there. I will protect her at all costs and will not make her have to suffer any more."

Orihime's heart wreaked. She envied, yet admired, and worried about them. "Renji. There is still more in the letter. You want to know the time and place to meet her, don't you?" As Renji stopped, Orihime continued, "Right next to the elope scene is a picture of two chappies, raven short hair and auburn long hair, reading books, leaning their backs against a tree, in front of them is the red haired chappy" Orihime looked up to Renji and smiled, "Does it remind you of something, Renji?"

Renji clapped his fist into his palm, "The wood when I first met you two, and we're going to meet at that spot."

Orihime folded the paper and gave it to Renji, "Above the picture is a full moon and since tonight is a full moon, the whole message means "We'll meet tonight in the wood where we first met."

Renji kissed the letter and put it into his chest. "Thank you, Orihime. Fare you well, fair Lady." Then they both laughed and he left.

XxXxXxXxX

Orihime leaned her chin against her palm and and opened her mouth into an "o". "Oh, I'm so envious of them. So envious." She rested her chest upon the table and buried her head into her arms. She sighed, "I wonder if there is one day Kurosaki-kun will come to me and ask me to run away with him."

_Imaginary scene, _

_A handsome Ichigo in his white chiton and black robe brought her a bouquet of flowers and lowered his head before asking her, "Lady Inoue, let's run away together. I'll protect you at all cost." Then he took her hand and planted hot kisses over it._

Orihime spun her upper body around the table in excitement, her face burning in embarrassment mixed with guilty and resentment for her indecent thought.

_Or even better,_

_Another imaginary scene, _

_A heroic Ichigo in his armor raised his sword upward, "Orihime, let's elope and make those bastards run after us hopelessly for the rest of their lives." He then carried her bridal style to...Uhm, where should a gentleman carry a Lady bridal style to?_

Orihime bit her finger nail in high concentration, then smoke erupted from her head. Well, she was not very sure what it was, but she had the feeling that it was a forbidden fruit that a Lady like her should never let it cross her mind. She sighed, but then Kurosaki-kun would never do anything like she had imagined.

The Kurosaki-kun that she knew always scowled.

The Kurosaki-kun that she knew never smiled.

The Kurosaki-kun that she knew never showed emotion on his face.

The Kurosaki-kun that she knew would never break the rule.

The Kurosaki-kun that she knew would never do anything that brought shame upon his family.

The Kurosaki-kun that she knew would never confess to her, much less elope with her.

:

:

Because the Kurosaki-kun that she knew did not love her.

:

:

However, once upon a time, she thought she saw a side of Kurosaki-kun that was not the same as this Kurosaki-kun.

_Flash back:_

_When she as five, her parents died, leaving her to her sixteen year old brother who had to take care of the huge household at such a young age that once day he just couldn't handle it anymore, and then he too left this world. _

_And since that day, she was alone. Alone in this treacherous world. A ten year old with too much property on her hands that she didn't even know it was a delicious prey for hungry wolves that kept coming, claiming they were her relatives, claiming that they would take care of her only to leave her at the end after they got what they wanted. Her lands, her houses, her cattle left her, one after another. When the last of her property was about to leave her too, soaking her in deep desperation and betrayal, she thought what would it feel like to sink herself into the river and let the flow of water wash away all of her unhappiness. So she went to the river that day._

_And she met him for the first time that day._

_The sun was so bright that day. Wild flowers were so lively that day, blooming in mass, decorating the green mossy grass with scattering white, like snow was falling in the midst of the summer. He was so small and vulnerable that day, sobbing uncontrollably, burying his head in his knees, his orange hair illuminated under the sun, but his small skinny fragile body was tremble helplessly under the intense cry that he looked like he could be blown by a strong wind at any moment._

_She came closer, her head was covered in a white silky scarf. Even if she died, she would not shame her family. She would cover her sin in white, and redeeming it in her next life. _

_The boy continued to cry, so she could not get any closer to the river. She asked him from afar,_

"_Why are you crying?"_

_He raised his head up to meet her. "Why shall you care?"_

_She put the scarf closer to both sides of her face so that he could not see her face clearly. "Because I need to sink myself in the water to wash away all of my unhappiness, and you crying here stops me from doing so. I don't want another person to see me parting this life and going to a new one."_

_The boy widened his eyes in pure horror. He stood up and got closer to her, "you shall not do so. This is madness. Who told you so?"_

_She blushed as this was her first time a boy at her age gave her this much attention, her words crumbled and became incomprehensible as they got out of her trembling lips, "A relative of mine said that if I do so, all misfortune will leave me and I will be free of all miseries that kept throwing themselves upon my shoulder, and then I can meet my father and mother and brother again." Somehow tears found their way to her eyes and kept pushing themselves out of her huge gray orbs, "I'm tired of this life. All they did was lying to me and then leaving me. I want my family back. I miss them. I miss them terribly."_

_Suddenly a strong pair of arms wrapped around her body and pulled her into a deep hug. She had never had a hug like this before. It was not fake, it was not cold, it was not calculating, it was not empty, like countless hugs she had had before. No. It was genuine, it was warm, it was full of love and concern, and even something else. Like pain. Like there was a long threat that connected his heart and hers. Her chest against his, she felt like she could hear how his heart throb painfully against his chest, with the same rhythm, same loss, same fear, same hurt, the same longing for love and attention as hers. How joy she was to feel another heart beat with the same rhythm as hers, another heart that could understand the pain she beared everyday, and to know that she was not alone in this world. From now on, no matter how far they were, even if she would never see him again, she would never feel alone again. Because she knew, even for just a brief moment, that there was another soul like her, wandering hopelessly around this world and that there was a time when the two hearts touched._

_She wrapped her arms around his back and pulled him even closer to her body, "I understand now. You share the same pain as mine. Then you shall cry on my shoulder and vent all of your pain out, then I'll do the same too. After this, all pain and misery will leave us and I do not have to sink myself in the water to wash them away anymore."_

_Then they cried on each other's shoulders for what seemed like an eternity. Time seemed to be sucked out of space. The world seemed to whirl around and vanish. There were only two persons in this world._

_Him and her._

_And from that time on, she felt like she was never alone again._

_And from that time on, he felt like he was never alone again._

_A breeze gently swept through her body and made her shiver slightly in the strangeness of a sudden cold. He hugged her tighter and whispered into her ears, "Then you shall promise me to never do anything this stupid again."_

_She looked at him, water still flooded her eyes, "Then you shall promise me you will never be sad again."_

_He scowled and slightly released her, "That, I have no control of. How am I supposed to control my own feelings? It's sad when it's sad and that's it."_

_His scowl was so gentle and beautiful that it brought light and happiness into her life. She smiled, "Your scowl is so beautiful."_

_He blushed, "No one has ever told me so. They all said that I should never scowl, but then this too is nothing I can control of. It scowls when it scowls and that's it."_

_Seeing her giggle in response, the shade of pink on his cheeks got even redder, "What do you find funny about it?" Then he paused and looked down at the ground, "Methinks, your smile is what is really beautiful. It lit my heart and made me happy."_

_She felt like there were thousand lighting bolts stuck her, and electricity ran over her whole trembling body, her heart beat so fast that she thought it could jump out of her chest at any moment. She stuttered, "T-then y-you shall p-promise me w-whenever you feel sad you shall remember my smile and try to feel happy again."_

_He nodded shyly and held both of her hands in his, "Then you shall promise me to never do something stupid again."_

_She nodded, "Pinky promise?"_

_As they locked their pinky fingers together, the boy said, "We should also promise to become stronger when we meet again."_

_She nodded again, "When we meet again, I promise I'll become a good Lady. I'll spend every day of my life to help people in need and to bring smiles to everyone' faces."_

_The boy stared at her with mixed emotion that she could not read then he too said his vow, "I promise when we meet again, I'll become a strong and mighty warrior and bring pride to my family. I'll protect everyone with my power and I will never let my important people have to cry again."_

_Orihime stared at him in awe, unable to utter a word. This boy, who looked so weak and vulnerable just like herself, when he said those words, looked so strong and determinate, and at that moment, she believed in him. She believed that the fragile boy in front of her would one day become a very strong person and that he would keep his promise no matter what. Bathing in the light, his eyes shone like the moon and his body was as bright as the sun, too bright that it hurt her eyes. She felt like he was the light shinning through her darkness and that as long as she follow the light, no matter how weak it could become, one day she would find where she truly belonged to._

_Another breeze swept through her head, threatening to blow her scarf away, she held them tight, afraid of what he would thought of her repulsive hair color. No one liked her hair color ever since she was born. Her brother was the only one who said it was beautiful, but she believed that was because he wanted to comfort her. She feared that the boy in front of her would hate her the moment he saw her hair, so she tightened her grips on the scarf and tried to hide portions of her face as much as possible. She was so afraid, so afraid that if he saw too much of her unsightly face he would never want to talk to her again._

_Lucky for her, the scarf was not blown away, only the end of it flew toward the boy and he caught it in his hand then gently kissed on the blue snow flake that she embroidered at the end corner of the scarf. Her body was burned in fire, and fear flooded through her body. She wanted to get away from him as soon as possible before he could discover how ugly she really was, so she did the first thing came to her mind, running away with her hands keeping a tight hold on her scarf, not wanting him to see her hair as she ran._

_Stunned at the sudden turn of the events, he tried to chase after her. "Hey, stop. I have something I want to tell you."_

_But she continued to run with all of her energy. Even so, his voice was still able to pierce through her ears. _

"_Hey, my name is Ichigo Kurosaki. What's your name?"_

_No, her name was really plain and ill to hear, she could not bring herself to say it, so she kept running and running._

"_Hey, you. Wait. I love thee."_

_That scared her even more. She was sure if he knew her more, he would not love her. He would hate her. She continued to run with all of her might until he was far, far away from her and only fragment of his words came to her ears._

"_I will make thee my wife one day."_

X-x-X-x-X-x-X

Still leaning her breasts and her head against her arms on the table, Orihime sighed. Now that she thought about it, it was like a dream, and she was not sure if it was real. But ever since that day, she always regretted, regretted that she could not tell him at that time that she loved him too. She shook her head ferociously, "I so regret, so so regret." Then she knocked her head hard on the table, and it hurt so much that it brought tears into her eyes. "I'm so silly". She laughed to herself.

It might be a dream though. The only remembrance of that day was the white silky scarf, but she already gave it to Rukia as a token of their friendship. Without much property left, Orihime was just a poor noble. A noble by name only. No one wanted to be friends with her, but Rukia was different. She didn't mind at all. Rukia took good care of her and defended her against other nobles who came to insult and cause trouble to her. The only valuable thing that Orihime had left was the scarf, and that was why she gave it to Rukia, her best best friend.

Since that day, she hadn't had an opportunity to face him properly again. The old her was so scared and shy that she never had the courage to come in front of him again. That, and she had to fight furiously against her fake relatives to save the last of her property, the last of her pride so that she could become stronger and raise her head in front of him if they were to meet again. However, for the past nine years she always watched him in the shadow, always, always. Her heart pounded proudly against her chest every time he won a battle and gained the fame he deserved. He indeed had kept his promise.

The first time she met him again was almost three years ago through Rukia. That was when she realized, with a knife stabbed through her heart, that he took a serious interest in her best friend.

"He probably forgot about that day if it indeed existed." She laughed to herself again and began to sweep the floor, humming a weird song to herself. She opened her mouth wide, forming an "o" and put a finger on her cheek, "Hey, I wonder if he really meant that when he said "I love thee" to me." Then she closed her mouth and shook her head fiercely, "No, of course not. He was just a child back then, and you cannot fall in love with person the first time you met her, can you?"

Then her heart sank. But she did. She fell in love with him the first time they met. She could not forget him since then, and she was sure that her heart was captured and locked tight by him. "That is not fair." She pouted to herself and pretended to be angry, "When you keep another heart that long, you should pay interest. A lot of interest." Her eyes wide opened in delight as her mind calculated how much interest she could earn for _lending _him her heart for nine years. She nodded her head in satisfaction, "I'll be very very rich when I get all of my money back. Then I can buy a flying ship and travel through the sky."

But then it was no fun to travel alone. She could lend the ship to Rukia and Renji for their honeymoon and earn more money from it. However, it would be nicer if she could be on the ship with Ichigo...

What the point of being on a flying ship with one who loved you not though? She sighed. Every time she remembered the way Ichigo looked at Rukia with his loving eyes or speaking to her with his sweetest voice, her heart twisted too much that she was afraid that it might be ripped off into a thousand pieces.

Hold on. Taihen. It was so terrible. Now that she remembered it. Ichigo loved Rukia, but Rukia loved Renji and would elope with him tonight, then what would become of Ichigo? She covered her head in panic. Ichigo would be very upset. He would run like crazy, trying to find her in vain. And when he could not find her, he would get sick and die in resentment. Or even worse, he might run into the river and decide to wash all of his happiness away the same way she did nine years ago. No. She could not let him die. She ran around in a circle, struggling of what to do next. Betraying her friend was a very disgraceful act, but she did not have the heart to see Ichigo in pain and die. But then, Rukia would not be happy, and she would be caged for the rest of her life. But then, no one would die. But living unhappily would be worse than dying. No, letting a person die was the worst especially when she was in love with him, and the person who would live unhappy and the person who would die were two different persons, so the logic did not work very well here. And...she suddenly clapped her hands in happiness.

She should tell Ichigo, it was a right decision. What Rukia and Renji were doing was very dangerous, they might be eaten by monsters in the forest. Monsters that had eight legs or ten mouths or seven hands, or plants that hung people in the air then ate them later when they were exhausted. She also heard that there were fairies, gods, and goddesses lived in the wood, and disturbing their sleeps would lead to certain deaths. She had to save them, but she could not save them alone. Therefore, she needed Ichigo! Ichigo was a very kind and gentle man, he would not hurt them, he would help them to get out of the wood safely and found a way to bring happiness to everyone. If it was Ichigo, he could certainly do it. She had to trust him, trust in the boy that she felt in love nine years ago. She needed to tell him about it. It was a right decision, right?

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

To be honest, this is my favorite chapter in my history of writing. I love this chapter the most. I've never been this content and happy, writing a chapter like this before.

Comments and constructive criticisms are highly appreciated. Please tell me what you think about this chapter. Thank you very much for reading.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N:

Yes, I could not believe that I did it! I mean, posting this chapter :). I was in such a bad mood and there were a lot of things happened that I barely have time and motivation to update any of my stories. So my apologies for late update to this story and many of my other stories. Unfortunately, this might not improve in the future, so my apologies again for the future.

Anyway, about this chapter. **jylener22 **is the beta. My apologies to you, **jylener22**, for taking too long to correct my mistakes base on your awesome note.

**Disclamers: **Characters in this story belong to Tite Kubo, the plot of this story belong to William Shakespeare. I copied a lot of the lines from the play and cited them accordingly at the end of the story.

Thanks for reading.

(6/19/12)

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><p>Shuuhei Hisagi dusted his small wings and sat his tiny body on a big leaf. His whole presence was cloaked in the darkness. His short black hair and his little black garment were too easily ignored in the night, and he hid himself in the most remote corner of the forest, under layers and layers of flowers and leaves, so if someone wanted to find him they might need to demolish the whole forest and suck him out of his comfort place. The only thing noticeable about him was his shining wings that kept emitting fairy dust all around him, making the dull and gloomy part of the forest sparkle with lively and magical light. However, it was the only part of his body that he hated the most. Why did it have to get so much attention? It did not fit him at all, for he was a very shy and clumsy fairy, but his wings were the shiniest wings in the whole fairy kingdom, which he completely did not understand why.<p>

Despite his rather rough and calm face, he actually had a phobia of humans. He got scared whenever he was near to one. Worse, human was not the only thing he was afraid of. He always got nervous when he was in a crowd and often found himself unable to form a legitimate and coherent sentence. The weirdest thing was that despite all of his serious shortage, he was the favorite fairy of the Fairy King, Kitsuke Urahara.

A fairy ran into him in panic, "Hisagi, Hisagi, the sweetest and kindest fairy of us all, please help us. The King is very angry for some reason and none of us can calm his rage. You are the only one who knows how to smooth his temper and water down his fury with your witty words." Hisagi immediately rushed to the King's little palace, forgetting to correct the other fairy that he actually didn't know how to calm the King's rage and that his words were not witty or something like that; but he was the only one to have enough courage to be showered in the King's wrath while the other fairies ran for their lives, more than happy to have a scapegoat to bear their misfortunes. Hisagi found out that his silence was what the King really wanted, so he was with the King the whole time he vented out his irritation, sharing in quiet the King's unhappiness, giving him the companion he needed.

The King was a very weird fairy. He didn't want to live in his palace but rather resided in his candy shop. Yes, a candy shop was where the King spent his days experimenting with magic and fooling around. The store was made of elfwood and decorated outside with pumpkins and white amaryllis. Yes, a weird combination, and yes, he was a weirdo. The King loved to be in a high place but not too high so that light would not hurt his eyes every morning he went to sleep. Because of this preference, the shop hung in the middle of the air with the support of a mossy green rope to connect the two biggest oak trees in the wood. The tiny shop was perfectly protected against the sun by the huge shadow that the trees provided. This was the holy ground of the fairy that only few could step inside.

Hisagi flew into the shop, tripped on the pumpkin strings that crawled every where on the floor. He stood up and looked around, grateful that there was no one nearby to witness his fiftieth trip of the day. He was then startled by a call from his beloved King,

"Hey, Shuuhei. You're late. Where have you been, huh?"

The drunken King, in his dark green shirt and pants topped with a black coat with a white diamond pattern along its bottom half, raised his wine bottle up, walking unsteadily toward the outwardly calm inwardly scared fairy. The King then suddenly lifted his wings, releasing a mountain of fairy dust on the poor Hisagi's eyes. "Hee hee, surprise, surprise. Shuuhei, are you surprised?"

Hisagi shook his head and sighed, even he was unsure how to deal with a half drunken half angry King. He let the King lean on his slender body, help the King back into the house and went to the couch at the middle of the room to put the King down. The slumberous older man muttered, "Woman is the most troublesome creature in this world. We would be much much better off without any of them, right Shuuhei?"

Hisagi gently laid his King down the giant white couch and tried to put a blanket on him. The King must have quarreled with the Queen again. If Hisagi didn't know any better, he would think they were enemies not husband and wife. They could fight over the most trivial matter like where to put the bed, what to eat for dinner, or whether should they have a pet. Hisagi shook his head again; if marriage was that much of a hassle, he would be very happy living alone for the rest of his life. He wondered what the problem was this time. Hopefully it was not whether they should fire him or not. On a second though, it was very possible. Now he would have to go and pack his clothes, ready for a beggar's life on the street.

"Women are all stupid. Stupid." The King snorted, "We are fairies, right?"

Hisagi nodded, wondering what the King wanted to lead the conversation to.

"Cat is too big for us, right?" The King grabbed a wine bottle that was nearby and continued, "we cannot play with a cat that ten times bigger than us even it's a new born cat, right?"

Hisagi nodded again, a little annoyed at the way the King drank too much wine into his system.

"So what's wrong when I told her to let me do a little experiment and shrink the cat into our size so that it'll be safer for her to play with it." The King shook his hands irritatedly, hurling the wine bottle away, crashing it into the opposite wall. "I'm only thinking for her safety, but she told me to stay away from her cat and not put a finger on her favorite pet. She even told me that she will protect her little kitty cat at all cost against my stupid experiment." The King sat up, his fingers curled into a fist, "Stupid experiment! I'll let her know the real meaning of stupid experiment, and show her who is the real idiot here."

He unclenched his fists and signal Hisagi to come closer and whispered into his ears, "Go into my lab and look inside the seventh draw of my seventh shelf block, you'll find some red vials. Grab one and bring it back here."

It took Hisagi a while until he found the said vial, wondering what the King was up to this time. He didn't want to upset the King any further, but he thought that the Queen was right. None of the King's experiments that he knew had been successful. All of them were crazy and caused a lot of problem. One time, the King had blown up the whole northern area of the forest, making all of the fairies work ceaselessly to restore everything back to its original state.

The King smirked and pulled his bucket hat that he always wore a little bit down his head, a sign showing that he was very excited about something, which meant that it could not be something good. "Good, Shuuhei. Now listen to me. This is what we call a love potion. A drop of it on sleeping eyelids will make a man or woman madly fall in love with the first living creature that they see. You go and put it in her eyes. Whether a lion, a butterfly, or even better, that damn cat, she will pursue it with her loving soul. I'll go and witness her madness and make an adequate humiliation out of her after the effect of the love potion wears off. Then she will know how much better I am as a lover than the dumb cat, and she'll be begging me for my forgiveness."

'This is not going to end well,' Hisagi thought, but the King looked so excited that he did not dare to stop him, so he just nodded and took his leave to the Queen's whereabouts.

XxXxXxXxXx

Urahara yawned and decided to go to sleep. The Queen recently had developed an abnormal habit that she tended to take naps even during the night so that she could be more awake in the morning, playing with her cat. Therefore, he might have to wait until midnight when the Queen woke up from her nap to see how his experiment turned out . As he laid his back on the couch, however, he heard strange noises that drew his attention outside. Humans, in the wood, at this time of the day. That was strange. He went to the balcony to see what happen. Human, of course, could not see fairies, or know about their existence, but to step into this holy ground and disturb his sleep... these humans deserved to be punished severely. Good, he needed someone to vent his frustration out, and they came just in time for that.

XxXxXxXx

Ichigo looked back at Orihime, frowned, "Follow me not, fair Inoue. I'm grateful that you let me know about my beloved Rukia and the reckless Renji, but please leave at once, out of this forest. This is no place for a lady like you."

Orihime swallowed her saliva, her body trembled in fear at the uncertainty that this meeting could lead her to. This was the first time for the last nine years that she was this close to him, being able to see his face this clearly, to hear his sweet voice sweep through her longing ears, so she got scared again and wanted to run away the same way she did nine year ago. She mentally shook her head. She could not leave now. He had kept his promise and had become a strong and mighty man, she had to keep her promise too. She had to become stronger. She could not return to the coward Orihime who could not say what was in her heart anymore. She had always regretted not answering him when he confessed, always regretted not being able to state her feelings during all those years, regretted that she was weak and unworthy of him, but tonight, she would regret no more. She could not be strong like this, regretting all the time and did not have the courage to do what she really wanted to do. She would grab her happiness with her own hands. So be it if he detested and be disgusted by her after this. At least, when she left this world, she could close her eyes in content, having no regrets, and be proud of herself for being able to keep her word.

XxXxXxXxXx

"I love thee."

Her trembling voice flowed into his unwelcoming ears, causing several waves of excitement to run through his body. Somehow, there was a familiar feel about her voice, like he was longing to hear these words from her long long ago.

He inwardly shook his head. No, Rukia was the only one he longed to hear these words from. He had waited for her for nine years, and during those nine years never had he stopped thinking about her, about her smiles, her warming eyes, her soft voice, her fragile body under the wind. He had thought he lost her and could never see her again, but luckily three years ago, by a touch of fate, he met her again through Renji. He never clearly saw the face of the girl he met that day on the river bank, but Rukia had it with her, the scarf. It could not be wrong. It must be her, for it was not a normal scarf. It was made by the finest silk in the world, and more it had the blue flake snow embroidered at the end corner. When he first touched it nine years ago, he had craved it deep into his mind. He memorised everything about it, from the material, to the pattern, to the white color, and when he touched it again three years ago it excited him the same way it did on that day. He could feel it. It was the same scarf.

But she had forgotten him.

His heart sank in deep depression. He was naive to think that she would remember him the same way he did. He was naive to think that that date was as important to her the same way it was to him. He was naive to hope that she would hold some feelings toward him the same way he did.

But he could never forget her.

He could not forget her, for his heart had been captured and locked by her when they first met. It was a crime to hold someone's heart that long and then completely forget about them. Now not only his heart was caged by her, it was tortured and stabbed again and again by her. He was so suffocated that day, he thought he lost his ability to breathe when he learned that Rukia and Renji were in love and had been meeting in secret for some time now. His heart wrenched so badly every time he saw them look at each other lovingly or when she poured sweetness into his rival's ears, or when she smiled at Renji every time he said something that made her happy.

Oh, tears were running back into his heart now. He thought that her smile was reserved for him and him only. It was her smile that kept him going and becoming what he was now. She had changed though. Her smile was not like before. It had not touched him the same way it did before. It was not the same kind, gently, lovely, and sincere smile that could heal any broken hearts it swept its magic through. Sometimes he asked himself if it was all a dream, and the girl he knew did not exist, but the scarf was there and it could not be a mistake. The girl he met back then surely would not throw such an important and expensive scarf away or leave it around unattended, would she? Furthermore, Rukia was a wealthy noble; she had no need to use an old scarf from someone else. It must be her; she had just changed a lot, but then he had as well. He could see that she had become much stronger, so she had kept her promise. Ichigo smiled. Somewhere in her heart, she must remember him. Maybe, just maybe, if he reminded her about the day they met nine years ago and told her with all his heart how he had waited for her all this time she would remember him and reconsider him against Renji. But he had to find her first before he could tell her anything.

However, to do so, the utmost important thing now was to send this girl, Orihime, away. He had no heart to deal with her right now. She, must be like countless girls in the town, throwing herself at him for his look and good fortune as well as frame and social standing. Love? She would not understand such a thing because if she did, she would not confess to him when she knew full well that he was deeply in love with her best friend. Such a shameless creature, sneaking around, looking for every opportunities that presented itself and even betraying her own friend for her personal benefits. She might hope to earn his favor through her treacherous act but he was not a fool to fall for such ill-masked trap.

However, as much as he was disgusted by her, he could not leave her in the woods like this at this time of the night. He must send her back, but he could not return to Athens with her, for he might lose track of Rukia and Renji; so she had to go home alone and stop following him. As a man who had no experiences in dealing with girls whatsoever, he said the first thing that came to his mind with the hope that she would give up and do as he pleased.

"I love thee not, and therefore pursue me not. I only have my eyes for Rukia and my body is itching with apprehension each second that I cannot find her. Hence, get thee gone and follow me no more". (1)

He could see her fingers curl into the fists and the shame had kicked in on her face. That was good. She should keep the last of her dignity and be gone. However, she raised her head up again and spoke to him with such sincerity in her voice that it ached his heart.

"You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant; but yet you draw not iron, for my heart is true as steel: leave you your power to draw, and I shall have no power to follow you (2). Nothing you said could change my love for you since it was buried too deep in my heart that I have no way to get it out. My legs are not my own, for they follow what is in my heart, my heart is not my own, for it was long stolen by you."

Ichigo shook his head in frustration. Now was not a time to talk about love. He needed to get to Rukia before the untamed Renji took the opportunity of the night to advance on his love. Maybe if he spelled out clean and clear to Orihime that he loved her not, she would leave, but he had to choose the harshest words for a stubborn like her to give up.

"Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, for I am sick when I do look on thee." (3)

It was totally a lie. He could in no way get sick, looking at such a beautiful girl. Her pale peach skin illuminated under the moon framed by her golden hair that made her look foreign, like she was not a human, but a goddess. And the mysterious feel of the forest at this time of the night added to her divine beauty and made her ten times more attractive.

"And I am sick when I look not on you." (4)

Completely stunned by her answer, he was drawn to her even more as tears that shone like pearls began to cascade her lovely cheeks, melting his hardened heart completely, threatening to dissolve his resolve for Rukia. Then he remembered it. The girl he met at the river had cried too, and she was weeping so gracefully that he thought it was the most beautiful scene he had ever seen, but it was nothing compared to this. This girl... who was crying in front of him made him feel so helpless that all he wanted to do was to go over and hold her tight in his arms, to wash her unhappiness away.

His heart skipped a beat. It was the same feeling nine years ago. He was so confused now. He did not know what to do, for he knew he loved Rukia, the girl from nine years ago but now his heart was beating so fast against his chest for another girl who was not her. Was it because of her goddess beauty? Her gentle and elegant manner that reminded him of the girl on the river bank? Or was it because he had been longing for that girl for too long that he mistook Orihime for her? No, Rukia was the girl. She was the destined one. Everything would be fine if he could find Rukia and make her remember him again.

He had to reason with Orihime and made her go before she confused his heart any further.

"Fair Inoue, You do impeach your modesty too much, to leave the city and commit yourself into the hands of one that loves you not; to trust the opportunity of night and the ill counsel of a desert place with the rich worth of your virginity." (5)

That should do the work. Chastity was a girl's greatest treasure, especially to a girl of a noble birth like her. People looked upon her with due respect because of her virtue, but if her reputation was tainted in anyway, even if it was just a rumor and not true, she might lose her privilege to get herself a husband and would become an outcast for the rest of her life. He nervously watched the young girl in front of him, praying for her to consider the consequences and leave him for good. However, much to his surprise, she stopped crying, and smiled at her, a smile that took his breath away.

"Your virtue is my privilege," She said those words with so much trust in her eyes that it darkened his heart with guilt. Could it truly be that she put her honor in his hands, and trust him completely at the expense of her future? Her eyes told him that, 'I believe that you will protect me. With you by my side, nothing could happen to me'. She continued, "for that it is not night when I do see your face, therefore I think I am not in the night; nor doth this wood lack worlds of company," her eyes suddenly brightened with a hint of mischievous adventure, (don't tell him that she actually had fun, wandering around the wood) "for you in my respect are all the world: then how can it be said I am alone, when all the world is here to look on me?" (6)

Then a thought struck him so hard that it paralyzed his whole body. She must be serious. She must be dead serious about loving him. It was so suffocated, so hard to breath. Her eyes were so intense that they sucked his soul away. He was afraid that if he looked into those deep gray eyes any longer, he would crumble completely in front of her. He would dig his heart out and give it to her. He would go to the sky and take the moon down for her. He would...No, he could not. He shook his head ferociously. Why was he such an inconstant bastard? Why could he not love one person and one person alone? Why did he have this infatuation toward his lover's best friend? Why did his heart fluctuate again and again? Why didn't it listen to his mind? Why did it keep beating so fast against his chest that it made he felt like it just wanted to jump out immediately to join hers? No, he had to get away from her. He could not stay any longer, or his heart and his mind would not listen to him anymore.

He was such a coward, but he could not help it.

His legs moved before he could think any longer, before his mind would be polluted by her image any longer.

He ran and ran, as far away from her as possible.

* * *

><p>AN:

I will use two name for Shuuhei Hisagi. Shuuhei is the name that Urahara will usually use, for it's his first name, and I think it reflects better the relationship between those two. I personally like the name Hisagi more (because it's easier to spell *stuck my tongue out*), therefore, in narration, I will call him Hisagi. So please do not confuse, both Shuuhei and Hisagi is one person who names "Shuuhei Hisagi".

(1) The line "I love thee not, therefore pursue me not." and the line "Hence, get thee gone, and follow me no more." were taken directly from the play.

(2) The line "You draw me, you hard-hearted adamant; but yet you draw not iron, for my heart is true as steel: leave you your power to draw, and I shall have no power to follow you" is taken directly from the play, but the next two lines are mine *blush in embarrassment*.

(3) The line "Tempt not too much the hatred of my spirit, for I am sick when I do look on thee." is taken directly from the play.

(4) The line "And I am sick when I look not on you" is taken directly from the play

(5) The line "You do impeach your modesty too much, to leave the city and commit yourself into the hands of one that loves you not; to trust the opportunity of night and the ill counsel of a desert place with the rich worth of your virginity" is from the play.

(6) The line "Your virtue is my privilege: for that

It is not night when I do see your face,

Therefore I think I am not in the night;

Nor doth this wood lack worlds of company,

For you in my respect are all the world:

Then how can it be said I am alone,

When all the world is here to look on me?" is from the play.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:**

Hello, I'm back. Don't remember when was the last time I updated... Must be a very long time ago. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Sorry for the wait (if there are any).

The update is all thank for and jylener22 cloverberry15. Yes, I'm so lazy that even when the kind jylener22 has put the edited version in front of me for a whole month, I haven't touched it until the insistent cloverberry15 reminded me how long I actually haven't updated.

Anyway, that's the story of this update. About this chapter. There are many lines I didn't quote directly from the play but somehow translate them in modern language. Please don't sue me for parallelism, at least remember I did put on this disclaim, "This plot is not mine, the characters in this story are not mine, some of the lines are not my own." Huh, what am I doing here?...?... Have no idea (you could tell me, hint hint hint). Hope you enjoy this story though.

(4/10/2013)

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><p>Urahara carefully observed the girl in concern as the young man left at his full speed.<p>

She just wiped her tears away and laughed softly, "Kurosaki-kun, your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex: we cannot fight for love as man may do; we should be wooed and were not made to woo. I'll follow thee and make a heaven of hell, to die upon the hand I love so well." (1)

Urahara sighed as the young girl left. He had never seen someone so strong willed. She looked so dedicated, so frangible that he thought she would break at any moment, yet she had a mental strength of a monster, like a small leafless tree in a desert that could withstand even the most ferocious storm. Suddenly, all of his anger and frustration vanished, he was now interested in how to help the girl to obtain her love.

Hisagi came, as quietly as he could, his face as stoic as ever. Hum, that child should learn to be more sociable, maybe a girlfriend would help, but girls would run away the moment they saw his scary face although he was a very handsome fairy. He was just too shy for his own good. Hum, maybe there was a way to compensate all of this.

He called out to his favorite fairy, "Hisagi, glad you're back. You know I have a very important mission for you now. Take the rest of the potion and search through this grove to find a sweet Athenian lady who is in love with a disdainful bastard. You will know the man by the Athenian garments he has on. Drop this into his eyes and do it in such a way that the next thing he sees will be the lady. And be careful to make sure that he'll end up loving her more than she loves him." He nodded, mentally smiling at his imaginary scene of the youthful idiot helplessly chasing the gentle girl, in despair, yelling his undying love to her.

Indeed, he was too absorbed in this thought that he didn't notice how his subordinate's face turned from red to white then to red and finally to white again. He was pulled back to reality as a trembling voice rang through his ears.

"Your Highness...I..."

Impatient, the King pressed, "Shh. Take haste, take haste, dear Shuhei, waste no more time here. Quick, quick, and be back before midnight so that we can all go to see the Queen and witness her dilemma."

"But I..."

The King yawned and before the poor fairy could say anything, he already flew back to his candy shop to take a nap on his favorite large white couch.

XxXxXxXx

Hiashi sighed and lowered his head in defeat as he left the holy ground and tried to find the young disdainful man in Athenian clothing. He feared humans the most, but now he had to put the potion on the eyes of one. How would he accomplish his task? Every time he was near to a human, his vision was blurred, and there were thousand of stings in his ears that made it hard to hear, his head became dizzy and his whole body whirled around and around in a circle.

He walked unsteadily. It came. A human came. He leaned his body against a tree, feeling like to vomit. His body was shaking uncontrollably. No, not one but two. What should he do now? The King had given him this special mission, meaning the King had trusted him greatly and believe in his ability to get it done. He could not disappoint the King. No, he would not betray the trust that the King had put on him. He had to overcome this annoying phobia.

XxXxXxXx

Rukia lowered the hood of her white cloak and turned her head to her lover. "Renji, we have walked for several hours. We must be far enough from Athen for now."

Renji also freed his head out of the hood of his dark red cloak so that he could let his lover see his face completely under the moon, "You are absolutely right, Rukia. You must be dead tired by now. Let us rest and be ready for tomorrow."

Rukia blushed as Renji took her hands in his and looked at her lovingly. His eyes were as bright as the sun, and his warm voice brought fire in her stomach. She could feel the heat of her body increase as he leaned closer to put a kiss on her lips...?...

Her blood boiled as the idiot bent down to place his cloak on the grass, preparing a bed for them. She wanted to pound her head hard on the ground, but she tried to hold her anger back and talked with him in her soft voice, "Fair Renji, for my sake, sleep a little bit farther away."

In her wild imagination, the brawny Renji insisted on staying with her, and she, the weak, gently, fragile, soft hearted Rukia, being touched by his ferocious passion, did not know what to do but to crumble under his wish, and then one bed, one heart, two bodies and one faithful vow under the holy moon (2). Oh, so romantic!

However, reality was another story. The Renji in this reality realm was a true idiot nevertheless. He nodded his head in agreement, without using even a single cell of his brain to take her obvious hint ,meaning the way her cheeks burned beyond recognition and the way her hips sway lightly, just lightly, very lightly toward his.

"You are absolutely right, Rukia. Though I want to stay by your side and protect you from any danger, I have to admit that protecting your virtue is also part of my privilege." In a swift moment, he waved his arm and clapped his fist on his chest proudly, "Worry not, Rukia. I'll protect you from afar."

With that he walked happily to the other side, humming his favorite songs.

In her wild imagination, she ran after him at full speed and with one hit she knocked him down, using one of the huge branches scattering around to beat the sense into him. Full of regret, with tears in his eyes, he knocked his head on the ground, crying for her forgiveness. After an hour or two, touched by his sincere beg and ferocious passion, she, the weak, gently, fragile, soft hearted Rukia, could not bring the heart to reject him any further, crumble to his will...And then one bed, one heart, two bodies and one faithful vow under the holy moon. Oh, so romantic!

Now she had to admit. Reality was a harsh one, for the real Renji had slept soundly as soon as he put his back down the grass.

Upset, she sighed and turned to sleep, then her heart skipped a beat. He had carefully wiped out all of the leaves and put at least two layer of clothes under his cloak, so that she could have a comfortable bed as possible. He did not forget to put a small fire next to it to keep her warm and protect her from the wild animals. What was she? A fool. While she had been too busy fantasizing about a nonexistent man, she had neglected the real Renji right in front of her eyes, with true passion and love for her. Laying happily on the bed he made just for her, she closed her eyes in content. Renji was an idiot, but he was not any idiot, he was her idiot, hers and hers alone.

XxXxXxXxXxX

As the couple quickly fell asleep, Hisagi slowly got out of his hiding place and took several breath to calm his nerves. Judging from the sorrowful expression of the lady when the gentleman left her, the longing in her eyes when he turned his back away and slept soundly far away, the man must be the disdainful bastard that the King talked about. Plus he had the Athenian garments on. Oh, poor lady, to give all of her heart for an icy stone, but worry not, fair lady, for he would set things right and shower her dried soul with true love from the bastard. A wave of heroic intent and compassion swept through his body, and with new determination, he took firm steps toward the heartless jerk, totally forgetting about his phobia of human, he poured a drop of the love potion on the eyelid of the young man. Humming happily, he quickly left. Oh, how happy it was to help people that were in love!

XxXxXxXxX

Running hopelessly around the forest to find her love in vain, Orihime halted as she saw someone that looked like Renji lying on the ground. Worrying for his well-being, she rushed to his side and shook him lightly, "Renji. Renji. Are you dead or asleep? I see no blood, no wound. If you are alive, please wake up."

Renji slowly opened his eyes, and the moment he set his gaze on her, she felt like those clear brown orbs would never leave hers, so intense and full of love, like all what he wanted to do was to stare into her eyes forever. A chill ran through her spine as he took her hand and put a soft kiss on it.

"Oh, my sweet Orihime, just one word and I will run through the fire just for you. Tell me to eat dirt, to drink oil, to crawl across the deepest floor of hell, to pass through the biggest ocean, to climb through the highest mountain, to go to the sky and take out the moon for you, tell me, Orihime." He tightened his grip on her hand, "Tell me, and I will do anything for you."

Speechless at this unexpected turn of events, another chill ran through her spine as he began to trace his fingers around her cheek and caressed her so tenderly that her heart began to beat out of her control. "Oh, Orihime. How could nature makes such an art, your gazes alone could froze my heart, your smiles melt it, your tears drown it, your..."

"Please do not say so, dear Renji. Say not so." She roughly took her hand away him. "I want to hear none of it, for my heart belongs to another."

"Oh the detestable Ichigo." He grabbed his sword, rage in his eyes, "Oh Ichigo, I'll kill that name with my sword if I could."

"No, Renji. Do not do so" She placed her hands on his, "Though he loves your Rukia, she loves you with every last piece of her soul. There is no place for Ichigo in her heart, so be content, Renji, Rukia is yours and yours alone."

"Rukia?" His eyes gone bewildered, "Who's Rukia? What's of Rukia?"

"Rukia, your beloved, the one you love."

"I love her not," he took her hands again, "and I do repent every of second I spent with her, for those wasted time I cannot use to stare into your moonlight eyes, listening to your music voice, worshiping your godlike face, and holding your snow-like hands. Orihime, you are the one I love, you and you alone."

When did Renji become so...poetic? Orihime's heart raced so fast she thought she would faint. Had never in her life someone told her such sweetness with that much affection in their voices and eyes. Had never in her life she heard that much praise about her flawed nature...Unless...Tears welled in her eyes and rolled like rain on her cheeks.

"What have I done wrong to deserve this mockery? Why does everyone always make fun of me?" The wound of Ichigo's rejection was still fresh in her heart and she felt ten times more rejected when the person she thought was a great friend turned his back against her and made fun of her too. "Is this not enough, is this not enough that I could never earn a kind look from Ichigo? Why do you have to harp on my inadequacy? Is this such a crime that I have such dull eyes, that my hair is so repulsive that beasts run away the moment they see my face? No more", she covered her ears with her hands, "I want to hear no more of this insult. You do me wrong. You do me wrong, Renji, wooing me in such a cruel terrible way." She ran away, "Good bye, my friend. Good bye. I thought that you were a better gentleman than this, that you have a pure and honest heart. How wrong of me! Oh, god pities me, a lady who has been refused by one man only to be abused by another."

XxXxXxXxX

Renji still could not took his eyes of the back that faded further and further away from his, but he had no strength to chase after her. His heart was still sored, ached, and wrenched after her rejection, but her scold, her icy attitude toward his yearning affection only fueled the fire of his passion, making him love her more and more.

There was a sound of a breath so soft and light but it went into his ears and touched him so deep that he thought he was drowned, strangled, suffocated under the pressure. His heart ached and ached but not for Orihime...but for the sound. He turned his head following the sound of the breath to see the young lady sleep happily on the grass.

However, as soon as he set his eyes on her, something as strong as a storm yet as soft as a wind flooded into his heart and swept any doubts, any memories, precious feelings so that after he blinked and looked her again, all he saw was a young lady who made his life miserable, the whole reason why he could not be with the one he loved, one of the only burdens that stopped him from his true love. Somehow he was grateful, grateful that Orihime did not see Rukia, which meant he still had hope. He could still somehow persuade Orihime, earning back her favor.

"Sleep you there, Rukia, and don't come near me ever again. I couldn't even remember the sweet moments we shared, but the mere thought of them surfeits my stomach and makes me want to vomit. Fare you well, the mistake that I want to forgo. Now all my powers and dreams are all but to honour Orihime and be her Knight."

XxXxXxXx

_A serpent was crawling on her chest and slowly ate her heart away._

_Soaking in sweats, Rukia screamed, trying to pluck the snake away, but it was less like a real snake and more like a cursed leech that untouchable, irremovable. It slipped through her hands and continued to eat her heart._

_She screamed and screamed, calling for Renji, but he just sat there, smiling, smirking at her suffering, then he too faded away, and she was surrounded with a thick fog, unable to see, to feel anything..._

Waking up with cold sweats pouring like rain on her body, she called out for Renji again and again. Hearing no answer, she walked like a madman around the small part of the wood where they resided for the night. Seeing no sight of him, she brushed her fingers around her eyes, trying to wipe her tears away, but then her eyes were dampened again with sadness and fear.

Where was Renji? Where was him? Why did he go away? Was he dead or alive? What happened?

Though she was a strong girl, she lived most of her life in the arms of her brother, always being loved and protected, yet she was willing to step out of the luxury and safety nest, out of her brother strong and warming arms just so that she could be with Renji, but where was he when she needed him the most, now when she had no one but him and only him?

She wandered mindlessly through bushes and grasses, once or twice almost hitting the trees. Her eyes kept searching for Renji and each step that she took, without Renji anywhere near her sight, was one step closer to the abysmal pit of despair that began to suck her in. When she reached to a strange place with two giant trees facing each other, she heard footsteps come closer and closer.

Her heart leapt in joy. It must be Renji. It must be him. She turned her head to face him...

XxXxXxXxXx

Ichigo panted. Finally, he finally found her. Rukia.

However, as she turned her head to him, there was an obvious spark of anger in her eyes. "What are you doing here?", she coldly asked.

His heart beat so fast, he could no longer control it now. "I'm looking for you. I came here for you, Rukia."

He looked down to the grass. He knew that she would never give him the same longing look she gave Renji, but the look she just gave him now was...hate...pure hate. Before, she just ignored him, but now she hated him...He raised his head up as he heard her sob. Why did she cry? Did that damn Renji do anything to her?

"What did you do to my poor Renji, despicable Ichigo?" Tears rolled like rain on her cheeks, "Did you slay him in his sleep? How could you commit such an abominable act?" She continued to weep, "Give him back to me, you murderer."

"Your stern words were like thousands of sharp knives that stabbed through my heart. Rukia, you're the murderer of my soul, yet the murderer to me is like the bright sun that brings warmth and the clear moon that brings light ." Suddenly, the image of Orihime sparkled in his mind, and he realized the one that he compared the sun and the moon to was not Rukia...He got confused again. No, he should not be confused. This time he had to ask Rukia if she remember him and clear the cloud in his heart.

"Renji is the only sun that I see, he is the only moon that shines through the dark sky in my heart. Oh, where is Renji? What did you do to him?" Tears quietly rolled down her cheeks faster and faster that Ichigo could not bring himself to see her suffer anymore.

"I did nothing to him. I haven't even seen him yet."

Immediately, the sobbing stopped, and Rukia looked at Ichigo, full of hope, "Then, he's still alive? Good Ichigo, can you find him for me?"

The hole in his heart grew bigger and bigger, he grabbed her shoulders, "Why are you continue to torture me like this? Remember me, Rukia. Please remember me."

"Remember you?" Rukia's eyes widened in surprise, "Remember you from what? We have known each other for years."

"No." He shook his head impatiently, "Nine years ago. At the river bank, when we first met. Can you remember it?"

"But I was not in Athen nine years ago. When I was eight, my brother sent me to study in a temple outside of Athen. I only returned to Athen six years ago when I was thirteen. I never knew you until three years ago when Renji introduced us."

Lightning struck through his head, and he felt like to fall down the ground. 'But then...your scarf...the white scarf that you usually wear, you also wore it nine years ago when we first met."

"But it's impossible for me to wear it nine years ago because I only got it five years ago from Orihime as a token of our friendship."

"Orihime?" His heart was beat so fast against his chest, he could no longer breathe. "But why?" He felt like to scream, "why did she give it to you? Why did she give you something that important...to me...and to her...to us?"

As Ichigo was deep in his dilemma, Rukia left, quickly imsersing herself in the darkness of the night, continuing to find her lover in despair, but Ichigo had no heart to follow her now. He felt like he was

falling down into an abysmal pit. Faster and faster, the memories of his childhood enveloping around him, pushing deeper and deeper into the endless hole that had no light.

_The child who was so weak and useless. He was afraid of anything and everything. He was born a foreign to his surrounding. A creature that did not fit well with the rest of the world. From the way his body was so fragile it could not keep up with the tough trainings he father gave him everyday, to the way his mind was sharpless and unrefined that he was a subject of bullies and cruel teases, to the way his hair color was so repulsive to the eyes, to his habit to scowl constantly every time anyone got close to his sight, he was truly, truly unfit to be the heir of the Kurosaki clan. He was even unfit to be a citizen of Athen. No one needed a weak boy who always ran to his mother every time he was in trouble, hiding behind her back, and crying in his room for hours for no particular reasons at all._

_And then, his only source of comfort, his only strength in this world, also left him. His mother... He was totally lost, like he was ripped out of his own clothes, bare and defenseless. He did not know what to do. He did not want to cry in his room anymore. He was tired of the pity and disappointed looks the servants gave him. He was tired of the way people judged him, so he ran to the river that day to cry._

_That was the last day that he had ever cried. _

_It was like a dream, the way they met. _

_She did not shoot him gazes of pities, she did not judge him, she did not make fun of him when he cried. And...and the way he was hugged in her arms, he had never felt so safe and protected. He could feel it. She was just like him. Weak and hopeless. An outcast. Someone who was abandoned, lonely, helpless, desperate. _

_The way she trembled in his arms made him feel something he never did before. A desire to protect. He never said it out loud before, but he was always, always, always searching for protection. He always wanted to be protected, to be safe and secure. He was afraid of everything and anything of the world in front of him. Yet now he wanted to do nothing more than to protect the vulnerable creature in front of him. What surprised him was that by having the urge to protect her, for the first time in his life, he felt safe and secure, like there was nothing in this world that was worth for him to be afraid of, that just having her by his side was all he needed to face the treacherous world. _

_And then they promised to be strong when they would see each other again..._

_Ever since he had trained himself nonstop, restlessly, because he always felt like she was watching him, and he couldn't disappoint her. He wanted to be strong so that he could protect her, protecting people that were important to him. She was the one who taught him the true meaning of being strong. He had to be strong because he wanted to see her again. Ironically, having power blinded his sight and judgment, and bathing in fame made him become so arrogant that he had intentionally hurt the person that he loved the most, the person that he wanted to protect the most. _

He breathed heavily. Now that he thought about it, he had been woven an image of the girl on the river bank. She was there. She was real, yet the person he really saw and looked up to was not really her. He was so fixated on an ideal that he refused to see with his eyes. If he took his time to investigate on Rukia's family; if he could gain enough courage to confront her about that day on the river bank; if he wasn't so full of himself and assumed that whatever he thought was the absolute truth... he would never hurt Orihime so badly...

He knelt down the ground. What did he do? What had he done? He was such a terrible person. Orihime. He buried his face in his hands. Orihime. He wanted to see her again, not as an illusion of the past, but as Inoue Orihime, the one who made his heart beat like crazy, the one who occupied his mind since she left, the one that...he probably loved.

XxXxXxXxXxX

Urahara hooked his chin between his thumb and his fingers as the young man ran out of the holy ground. "Hum, so the one who rejected now was rejected. Um, Hisagi." He turned to ask his subordinate, "I thought that you put the love potion in his eyes, why did he chase after another lady?"

The poor fairy looked completely confused, "That was the lady, but not the gentleman."

"Huh?" Urahara sighed, "Then who did you put the love potion on?"

Hisahi answered, almost innocently, "The disdainful bastard that rejected the lady who just left." Pride in his voice as he continued, "Now he cannot leave her even just for a second. I'm so happy that I help them be together."

This was getting bad. Urahara opened his fan. "And how did you know that the gentleman you put the love potion on was the one?"

"He had the Athenian clothes on just like you said, and he refused to sleep next to her but instead went to a place far away, and she looked kind of sad, so he must be the idiot that rejected the poor lady."

Urahara sighed again and scratched his head. "Shuihei, you got the wrong man. I think there are two pair of lovers in this forest, and you targeted the wrong one."

Hisagi's jaw dropped. So cute! Maybe he should tease the shy fairy a little bit.

Urahara pointed a finger toward the younger fairy, "Yes, you made a terrible mistake, but now thanks to you, we have an amazing love circle." He picked up a twig and began to draw on the ground. "So this ugly short orange spiky haired man is the heartless bastard who injured the pure heart of this beautiful lady," he pointed at his genius drawing of the young female, "he's also the one that chased after this new lady who is in love with the man that you put the love potion on", he pointed at the faceless head with a question mark inside. "Now here is the interesting part, if the young lady whose name is Rukia, I believe, said that her lover is gone, there is a possibility that he's in love with the beautiful lady...um...her name is Orihime, I think, under the love potion effect. That could explain why he left his lover alone." He clapped his fist into his palm. "If so, this leads us to this astonishing result, a love circle that I have never seen. We have Orihime who is in love with the idiot who is in love with the new lady Rukia who is in love with the man I have not met yet who is in love with Orihime." He looked at the circles with great satisfaction. "Isn't it cool?"

"Cool?" Hisagi cried in terror. "Cool? You messed them up and you think it cool?"

Trying to hold his laughter back, Urahara made his face serious. "No, I'm not the one who messed them up. It's you."

It was so fun to see his face...turning pale like a paper, and the poor child looked like he was about to cry.

"So what should we do now?" Hisagi wiped his unborn tear away with his sleeves. "Do you have an antidote? I'll give..."

Urahara raised his fan up to stop Hisagi. "The fun has just begun. Why do we have to spoil it? It's one in a thousand year chance to witness the madness of a love circle. I won't miss it."

"But...but...it's wrong."

"Wrong?" Urahara laughed. "Don't kid me. Love is never right. It's those idiots' faults for falling in love. And besides, we fairies should not meddle in the human business."

"But you're the one who meddled in their lives in the first place. You cannot leave them like this after you caused such a mess."

"Correction, you are the cause of this mess, not me." Urahara grinned mischievously. Poor child, his face was now on fire, but he was a thousand years too young and naive to win against him in this argument".

"You're just pissed off because your wife left you, that's why you want to torture those poor lovers. The truth is that you're jealous of them, and don't want to see them happy." The young fairy said angrily, almost pouting. So cute.

Urahara's eyes went dark for a moment, but he quickly brushed it off, "Hai hai, you got it right. If I'm unhappy with my marriage, why do I have to see others happy?" It was so fun to see the ever stoic and placid fairy in rage but could not do anything to defend himself.

"Now let's go to see the Queen." Urahara yawned.

"But Your highness..."

"No but, let's go."

"But Your Highness, we cannot leave them like this. It's chaotic."

"That's none of my problem, dear Hisagi. They should resolve their problems by their own."

"But you're the cause of their problems."

Urahara shook his head. " Remember this Hisagi, true love comes from the heart, not the love potion. If they truly love each other, they will find the answer themselves. Anything we'll do now will just add more problems into their already problematic lives. Let them be."

Urahara sighed as his stubborn subordinate walked behind him, sulking all the way they went to the Queen's castle. Little did Hisagi know that the love potion only had effect in a few hours, and besides, Urahara didn't have an antidote for it. He never thought of making one in a first place. Moreover, it would be really fun to see the four lovers suffer a little bit, maybe a little cat fight if he was lucky. He would make sure to watch the four fight against each other after he solved his little issue with his belo...stupid wife.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

(1) This "Your wrongs do set a scandal on my sex:

We cannot fight for love, as men may do;

We should be wooed and were not made to woo.

I'll follow thee and make a heaven of hell,

To die upon the hand I love so well." is from the play.

(2) "One bed, one heart, two bodies and one faithful vow" is a loose translation of the original line "One heart, one bed, two bosoms and one troth" from the play. In the play, the one who says this line is Lysander; Renji is his counterpart in this story. However, in this chapter, I change this line to be Rukia's, instead of Renji's, and make it an inner thought instead of a part of their conversation.

There are some lines I don't quote here because I don't copy them from the play but take the ideas and translate them in modern language. I really don't have the time and energy to go back and quote every single one back to here. Just remember that there are lines that really are not mine.

Thanks for reading.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:**

So… I finish a story, something I haven't done for a long time. It've been 2 years since I first publish this story. I shouldn't have taken that long, I have all the ideas down with a concrete plot (based on the play of course :)), but I did take that long and I'm sorry all the readers of this story for that.

Thank you, **jylener22**for your immerse help on this story. I'm sorry that it took me 2 months to edit this chapter, lol, mostly because I'm lazy. Big thanks for all the reviewers, because of you that I finally put my ass down, proofreading and finishing this story.

**Notes on this chapter**: There are some lines from the play that I love too much to rephrase them in normal language, therefore, at the first few paragraphs, if you find the lines are difficult to understand, please scroll down to the last page where I have my explanation/translation for them

* * *

><p>Orihime shooked her head in defeat, "Stay away, I pray you. Follow me no more. For the sake of our friendship, please stop your cruel mocking."<p>

Desperate in a rejected love, Renji felt his cheeks wet with ferocious waves of passion. He couldn't understand why Orihime didn't understand his love for her? Why couldn't she believe his love for her was true, and that he couldn't love anyone but her and her alone."Why should you think that I should woo in scorn? Scorn and derision never come in tears: Look, when I vow I weep; and vows so born, in their nativity all truth appears. How can these things in me seem scorn to you, bearing the badge of faith to prove them true?" (1)

Orihime put her hands on her chest. Renji was sincere. His tears told her so. Oh, but so wicked was a man's heart. One moment he claimed his undying love for Rukia, willing

to give up everything and run away with her (oh, how she had so admired his courage and resented her own cowardice!), yet the next moment, he said his vow to her, his love's best friend, as sincere and true as when he said it to Rukia. Was this in even in the frame of reasoning? No, there was no other explanation but a vicious joke to destroy her. Her friends, like the rest of the world, had turned their backs against her.

Orihime turned her head to the man she once admired and respected, the man she once thought as her friend. It was ironic, but the more he claimed to love her, the more she began to hate him now.

"You do advance your cunning more and more, When truth kills truth, oh devilish-holy fray! These vows are Rukia's: will you give her o'er? Weight oath with oath, and you will nothing weight: your vows to her and me, put in two scales, will even weight, and both as light as tales." (2)

"I had no judgment when to her I swore." (3)

"Nor none, in my mind when you give her o'er." (4)

"Ichigo loves her, and he loves not you." (5)

Orihime felt like she had just got slapped across the face. What she knew all this time. What Ichigo had told her himself. All that was so surreal until this man front of her said it again. He was waking her from her dream, but what could she do? Could she stop loving Ichigo and turn to love Renji? Renji could, but could she?

"No, I do love her."

Orihime turned her head and, in her horror, faced Ichigo who was breathing heavily.

Ichigo tried to gain his breath. How could he say it? How could he face her after all those terrible things he did to her, yet he had to say it. He had the feeling that he had to say it or it would be too late. "Orihime, I love thee."

His heart wrenched as tears began to roll down her pale cheeks. "It's you, you too, are conspiring against me? Oh, I know that you don't love me. I know that you hate me even, but this is so cruel, Kurosaki-kun, even if you despise me so, to mock me upon my love."

"You are unkind, Ichigo," Renji snapped, "be not so, for you love Rukia, this you know I know: and here with all good will and with all my heart, in Rukia's love I yield you up my part, and yours of Orihime to me bequeath, whom I do love and will do till my death." (6)

Did this world go insane the moment he entered this forest? First, Orihime claimed that she loved him, an outrageous thing to him at that time, and he rejected her, a thing that he regretted dearly now. Then, beyond his worst nightmare, he discovered that Orihime was the girl on the bank of river and the girl he truly loved, not Rukia. But now, now he faced a terrible mess when Renji declared to give up on Rukia and go for Orihime's love instead. Were Gods in this forest, playing with him, with his love, punishing him for disrupting their sleep?

Ichigo took a deep breath. This was not a time to believe in fairy tales but to beat some sense into Renji.

"Renji, I don't love Rukia. My love for her was a mistake. Orihime is my real love."

Renji turned to Orihime, "it's not so, don't believe him, Orihime."

Orihime hugged her head with her hands in pain, "No, no more of this horrid jokes. Why are you all so determined to gang up on me for a few laughs? If you are gentleman as you pretend to be, please don't use me in such an unscrupulous way: to make vows and promises and praising my feature when I know you are both really disgusted by me. You are rivals for Rukia's love, and now you are competing to mock upon me. If you want to see my tears, hear they are, laugh at them, be content, your jokes are well done."

"No, Orihime." Ichigo grabbed at Orihime's wrist. His head felt like to burst at any moment. What now? How could Orihime think that he was making fun of her when his heart was shattering in regret. He had never been more serious in his life. "I love thee." He looked at her deep in her eyes, remembering the time he couldn't say it face to face to her. He could feel her hand tremble and her eyes told him she remembered it too.

Suddenly, his hand left hers as Renji came between them, full of rage, "Don't listen to him, Orihime. He loves you not, yet I love you more than the whole universe combined. Could he die for you? No, he could not, yet I could go to hell a hundred times and come back just for you. Could he give everything up for you? No, he couldn't not; as for me, nothing in this world has meaning if I could not see your face. I can dump everything into the garbage just to be your servant. Did he ever even say a kind word to you? No, he didn't, yet I could spend my whole life praising your godly feature."

_Urahara aside (chuckled): He sure talks big for the one who is under a love potion_

"Don't insult a deep love that you don't understand, or you'll pay for it." Ichigo said in equal vexation. Renji went over the line. Friends they are no more. His mood lit up as he saw a small figure making her way through the grove. "But look, here comes your true love."

"Oh, Renji." She pulled Renji into a deep hug. "I cannot see in the dark, but I can hear your voices which led me here." She nuzzled her head into his chest in pure happiness. "How I have worried for you. How I have missed you, though we just parted for less than an hour." She blushed, "But bad Renji, why did you leave me so unkindly?"

Renji pushed Rukia away in aversion, "Why should I stay while my love pressed me to go?"(7)

"What love could press my Renji from my side?" (8)

Renji went to Orihime and took her hand, which made the auburn girl angrily take her hand back and Ichigo draw his sword out, "Orihime's love. Whose else? But stay away from me. You are the reason my love is rejecting me."

Rukia shook her head furiously, "You speak not as you think; it cannot be" (9)

Orihime, now completely in distraught, had interpreted the situation quite differently. Please forgive her since she had spent her childhood in betrayal and distrust. She was used to be wronged and humiliated than to be cared genuinely and treated with respect, so it was easier for her to believe that the two men were making fun of her than to actually believe that they were in love with her. Moreover, Ichigo had just rejected her and Renji was deeply in love Rukia before, so to Orihime, it was as clear as day that they were using her for their own entertainment. Now, with Rukia appearance, the missing puzzle was solved.

"Oh, I get it now. Rukia, are you in this confederacy too?" Her world shattered at the thought, and she couldn't stop her tears from running. What is so fun about making me miserable that you three have to conspire and woven such dedicated webs of lies. And you, Rukia, you are the only person on earth that I have faith to. Have you forgotten those vows that we shared in this holy forest? The tokens that we exchanged? The hours we had spent, reading under the trees, sleeping on each other shoulders? The secrets that no one could know? All of those forgotten? Oh, I thought that we loved each other. I thought that we are sisters. '_And will you rent our ancient love asunder, to join with men in scorning your poor friend? It' is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly: our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it, though I alone do feel the injury.'' __(10)_

"I'm amazed at your passionate words, I scorn you not, it seems that you scorn me." (11)

"Did you or did you not, send Renji, as an insult, to praise my face and eyes and then make your other love, Ichigo, who just kicked me with his foot not long ago, to claim that he loves me too? Kurosaki-kun hates me, so why did he claim to love the one he hates? And what could make the noble and gentle Renji to set me up in his false love if not for you, the one whom he loves deeply in his soul?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about."

Orihime wiped her tears. "I know I was at fault. I know you have every right to hate me because I followed you here with Kurosaki-kun. Fare you well, be it leaving or death, I shall pay for my sins."

But Renji grabbed her wrist before she could leave, "Orihime, don't leave. Please listen to me, my love, my sweet Orihime."

Rukia, sympathized for her friend's situation, scolded Renji, "My dear Renji, do not scorn her so."

However, Renji didn't seem to listen as he was too busy trying pull Orihime close to him. "I love you, dearly so, so please don't leave me."

Ichigo's heart skipped a beat as Orihime's eyes moved to meet Renji's. Even at this distance, he could hear the rhythm of her heart, the way her lips trembled against each other, unable to form a word. She didn't need to form a word, the way they looked at each other was enough to kill him. In one moment, she was still in love with him, and claimed so with all her heart, yet the next moment she looked into another man's eyes, asking if his words were true, if he was truly in love with her. One second, if Ichigo was one second late, he was afraid that Orihime might truly fall for Renji. Was one second enough time for one person to change her heart? Wasn't he the same? Wasn't he not long before thought that he loved Rukia deeply only to realize later that he couldn't live seeing Orihime being with Renji?

If so, he shouldn't waste any more time to think. He couldn't afford to allow another second pass or he would lose Orihime for real. One hand grabbed her arm, he realized how light she really was as he pulled her over and pressed his lips on hers. Could a kiss release the charm Renji was placing on her? He knew not, yet he knew that it felt right, the way his lips were on hers.

Yet the kiss was nothing more than a light contact, for she immediately pulled away, and covered her lips with her hands, her eyes looked at him terrifying.

He heard the sound of heavy metal sliding, and as he turned his back, he faced an enraging Renji he had never seen before with his sword withdrawing from his sheath. His eyes darkened, and there was a huge black aura around him.

"Unforgivable," he said in low voice but it seemed to resonate through the whole forest, "how dare you dishonor her like that." His sword was shaking in his hand, "Though you were my best friend, today you will not go without answering my rage."

Ichigo placed his hand on his hilt. He looked at Renji sadly. Renji was the only true friend he had, they had such good time together until Rukia came between them. Even then, when he was jealous of Renji and Rukia, deep inside he still liked and admired Renji, a man who was freed out of social obligation. He never once hated Renji even when he held his lover's heart, but tonight, tonight was different. The way Renji looked at Orihime, and the way Orihime looked back at him. Now he had truly understand the devastating side of love, he would never accept that. He would not let Orihime fall for Renji, and for that… Renji had to die.

"Let's settle it out there. I don't want my love to see me dirty my sword." Renji jerked his head over, signalling Ichigo to go deeper into the forest.

Ichigo just nodded and walked silently behind Renji, but suddenly Rukia ran over and wrapped her arms around Renji's waist, tears damping her cheeks, "Renji, where are you going with all this?"

Rukia held Renji tighter with her arms. She saw that look on Ichigo's face, and that was the look when he was ready to kill someone. During the course when Ichigo was courting her, she had tried many ways to avoid the two men from clashing, for she knew Renji was not Ichigo's opponent. Renji was a good fighter but he was too emotional for his own good. Moreover, he was borned a street fighter with little training. Ichigo, on the other hand, was a skilled trained fighter since he was a little. He was calm, determined and fought with strong resolution. And when he was determined to kill someone... Rukia shivered and begged, "please, sweet Renji, don't go, don't leave me."

Renji tried to break free and yelled, "Get away from me, you Ethiope."

Ethiope? Her heart stopped, and the world stood still. Did he just call her an Ethiope? The tears on her cheeks were now nothing compare to the tears in her heart. It was the biggest insult to call a woman black. How could Renji scorn her with such hateful and vermourious words? "Hang off, thou cat, thou burr! Vile thing let loose or I will shake thee from me like a serpent"(12)

Did he truly loathe her that much?

But though he hated her, she could hate him not. She couldn't see him die. She held him tighter, "Why have you changed so much? Why have you been so cruel to me, my love?"

"Your love? Get out, you dark skinned gypsy! Get out, you horrible poison, get out!"

"Are you joking?" Ruki said to her disillusioned self rather than to the raging Renji, really hoping it was just a horrible joke or a bad nightmare.

"Yes, he is and so are you." Orihime just couldn't stop saying what was in her mind.

Ichigo placed the tip of his sword on the ground. "Will you go or not?" He was impatient. How could he not impatient now that he had been fully aware of the fragile nature of love? He was dreaded of each second passing that Orihime would change her heart.

"What? So what should I do?" Renji said irritatedly, unable to break free of the persistent Rukia, "Should I hurt her, strike her, kill her dead? Although I hate her, I will not harm her so."(13)

"Is there any greater harm than saying you hate me?" Rukia cried, "Why? Why? What happened to you my love? Are you not Renji? Am I not Rukia? You still love me when we were asleep." Rukia sobbed harder, turning Renji around so she could face him, "but when I woke up, you left me, and now you said you hate me. Oh my god," she buried her head in his chest, "will you leave, will you really leave me, Renji?"

"Certainly," Renji said as he tried to push her away, "and I never want you see you again. Let me spell it out clear and clean to you: the truth is I hate you and I love Orihime."

This was no joke. This was the truth, yet this truth was simply too much for Rukia to handle; it was clouding her ability to reason. How could she accept that her best friend was taking her lover away from her? She felt so betrayed. She had been loving Orihime like a sister and sharing with her every last piece of her secrets.

Oh, she got it now. Now everything was making sense. Orihime was secretly in love with Renji, and she was the one who told her brother about the relationship between her and Renji. Otherwise, how could her brother know? She had this suspicion long time ago that the one who whispered the news was someone close to her or Renji. At first she thought that it was Ichigo, but he was too much of a prideful man to do something so low. Moreover, if it was him, he could have done so long ago.

The only sound explanation was that recently Orihime began to take a liking to Renji, so she did everything in her power to have him. When Orihime saw that her brother couldn't break her and Renji up, she told Ichigo about the elopement and made him chase after them into the forest. That explained why Ichigo was here. Orihime was the only one knew about the elopement.

Rukia placed her hand over her mouth. She was such a fool to trust Orihime so much. Using Ichigo as a bait and distraction, Orihime finally got some time with Renji and seduced him use….Rukia's heart wretched at the thought….using her body. Orihime was truly a beautiful girl...woman. Her beauty was out of the world, and her smile alone could melt even the hardest heart.

Rukia grabbed at her chest, and she was just a rude short little girl. Of course Renji would choose Orihime over her. Renji didn't even desire her. Her tears fell as she stepped closer and closer to Orihime. She was overwhelmed with her newfound emotion that she didn't notice that Renji and Ichigo had walked to the other grove to settle their fight

_Renji had rejected to sleep with her tonight. He had chosen Orihime over her. He loved Orihime and he hated her. Orihime was the one who made him hate her. Orihime was the one who was taking Renji away from her. Orihime was no longer her sister. She was a betrayer, an enemy._

And before Rukia knew it, she had knocked Orihime on the ground and sat on her stomach, her hands pulling Orihime's hair, "you trickster, you snake, you thief. Did you sneak in at night and steal my love's heart from him?"

Orihime, at first, was completely stunned at the turn of the events, she didn't know what to do about Rukia's sudden attack that she let her friend have the advantage, but then anger began to seep into her slowly and strongly. She was tired; she was dead tired of always being the defensive, always being at a disadvantage. She was tired of being unable to express herself.

Rukia was so strong, and Orihime's head hurt dearly. She was always looking up to Rukia, the girl who always fought for her course; the one who was brave enough to express herself by whatever means she saw fit. Why couldn't she do the same? Why couldn't she fight for herself and express her anger right now, right here?

Orihime reached her hands to Rukia's hair. If she hadn't done so, she wouldn't realize how easy it was to reach for Rukia's hair, to hurt her, to make her feel the same pain she was feeling right now, and how easy it was to express herself, her feelings, "Are you

not ashame of yourself? I am the one who should be mad. Damn you," she pulled Rukia's hair hard, "you faker, you puppet."

Rukia said in pure rage, "Puppet? Why so? Oh, I see where you are going. You are talking about our differences in height. You are showing off to him how tall you are." Tears wet her eyes again as she looked at Orihime, "You win him over because of your height. Does he have such high opinion about you because I'm short? Is that it?" She pulled Orihime head closer by the hair, "so how short am I you painted maypole? Speak." She yelled, her other hand scratching Orihime's forehead, her nails were dangerously close to the wide gray eyes, "how short am I ? I'm not too short to gouge your eyes out with my fingernails."

Rukia was seriously angry. Orihime had never seen her this angry before. Orihime shivered, Rukia even threatened to gouge her eyes out. It didn't seem to be a joke if Rukia went that far. She even talked about her height. Orihime never knew that Rukia was so self-conscious about her height. Orihime didn't even notice it, that Rukia was short. She was petite, but she was so elegant and noble in her own way, so confident and kind that people just seemed to be drawn to her.

Rukia's tears continued to fall, and it made Orihime's heart ache. "Good Rukia, please don't cry. I swear that I mean you no harm. I always love you, I really do." Orihime burst into tear, "but I have to admit, I have betrayed you, once, when I let Kurosaki know that you were sneaking off into this forest with Renji." Orihime sobbed harder, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry"

Rukia stood up and grabbed Orihime by the chest, "And what is your purpose, you wickedest traitor?"

Orihime buried her head in her hands, unable to stop sobbing, "I did that because I love Kurosaki-kun. He followed you, and for love, I followed him. But he loves me not. He scolded me, rejected me, abandoned me" Her hands left her face and fell down in defeat, "Now just let me go back quietly. I'll carry my mistakes with me. I won't follow you anymore." Though she said so, her body made no move; like she was glued to the ground. Her body didn't listen to her anymore, or did it?….

"Then get you gone! Who's it that hinders you?"(14)

"A foolish heart, that I leave here behind."(15)

"What, with Renji?"(16) Rukia's voice was shaking in jealousy.

"With Ichigo…"(17)

XxXxXxXxXx

"Though it was entertaining, Shuihei, I'm afraid that your mistake has led to a severe chaos that threatens to destroy the tranquility of our forest. Or…" the King said, looking at Hisagi teasingly, "did you do it on purpose? I guess you are getting bored recently…"

But before he could continue, a hand had grabbed his ear and pulled it hard, "Could you stop this madness at once?" a sharp voice piercing through the air.

His ear soring, he looked at the beautiful yellow eyed fairy with a frown, "What's the matter with you, you stupid woman?"

The queen said, her yellow eyes glowing in the night, "The matter is that my husband is a fool who doesn't even know what he is doing, who is absolutely irresponsible, shameless, and selfish."

"Oh ha," the King claimed, "what's a wise woman to marry with such a fool!"

Put her hands on her hips, the Queen raised her eyes, "Maybe you poisoned me, giving me a potion that blinded my eyes and judgment."

"Ha," the King said irritatedly, "like any potions would work on you. Last time that I remember a love potion one didn't work."

"That's because you're stupid enough to give me a potion that was made from a human recipe which obviously only works on humans."

The King blushed, remembering how humiliating tonight was when he sneaked into the Queen's castle and triumphantly put the love potion on her eyelids only to realize later that it was totally useless on her. The Queen later demanded him to tell her the whole story about the love potion which including the accident regarding the humans. And of course, she pulled his ears all the way from the castle to here until they met the four lovers in the middle of their dilemma. It was an enjoyable watch actually, and he was glad he was in time for it.

"Should we do something about this, your highnesses?" Hisagi asked anxiously.

"Of course, we should," the Queen said, putting her chin between her thumb and her index, "like always, we have to clean up after your mess." His wife looked at him scornfully, raising her hand toward him, "Give me the antidote."

two made it look like they were the most righteous fairies on earth. Come on, they were enjoying it too. That he was sure of. The two watched the whole thing with their eyes opening wide and intensively and with their ears pointing up like cats' , too absorbed to notice anything else. Proof was, they didn't intervene until now.

The King was about to open his mouth and tell his wife that he didn't have the antidote and that the potion would go off on its own, but he shut his mouth up just in time before taking out two vials from his pockets. Why not use this opportunity for another fun game, he thought.

"There is the antidote, enough for four. Hisagi, you just wave the substance to their faces and they should go into a deep sleep. Then," he said slowly, carefully to arrange his words, "you put the two pair into different parts of the wood, separately, the long auburn hair girl with the orange boy, and the black hair with the red boy. Try not to mess them up this time ok?

"I'll be more careful, your Highness." Hisagi said with his utmost diligence.

Trying to swallow his chuckle back, the King continued, "then, uhm," he waved his hand, signaling for Hisagi to come closer.

The Queen raised her eyebrows, "If you want to say something, you better say it loud and clear, right here, right now."

"Well," the King said reluctantly, "it's kind of sensitive..." he sighed as his wife looked at him sharply, "and you have to take off all their clothes, burning it and chanting a series of spells in order for it to work."

"Now," the Queen raised her eyebrows again, crossing her arms "I don't see the part where you have to take off their clothes."

"Well," the King rubbed his hands together, "it's an essential part of the ritual for the antidote spell to work." He bit his lower lips and tried to look at his wife in the eyes, trying his best to say it wittily, "And since when do you care so much about humans, with or without clothes?"

His wife blinked her eyes, "yes, I guess you are right. Humans and their clothes are really not our business. Here I'm just trying to fix your mistakes as always, so as long as it works, I wouldn't care less."

Smiling in inside, the King quickly gave the _antidote_ to Hisagi. _How fun it is to play with humans especially when there is a nagging wife watching behind your neck._

XxXxXxXxXx

"Your Highness, it's a serious crime." Byakuya said, pressing every single words like he was afraid the Duke was going to miss them, "He is stealing my sister right under my nose; and she is under my protection, which means your protection, Athens's protection. What he is doing is a crime of high treason."

Hitsugaya swiftly wrapped his blue cloak around his body and fastened the belt before heading straight to the main door, "And do you think I'm not aware of the seriousness of this situation. I'm about to lose one of my best men." He scowled, "moreover, just think about the scandal it will cause in our society if the news break out that one of our noble ran off with one of our best fighters is enough to give me a headache."

"You aren't seriously thinking about letting him live after this incident, are you?" The stoic noble closed the door loudly with his hands before the Duke could pass through it.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Duke stared at his noble angrily, "Are you threatening me?"

"I want him dead, out of my sister's life forever"

"Like I said," the Duke pressed his words, "he is one of my best fighters. In the best case, I want him alive."

"Certainly, this is not the best case, Your Grace."

"My dear, what are you doing this early in the morning?" the two nobles startled as a small figure passed through one of the doors and entered the room. "For godsake, it's only three in the morning." The small figure yawned.

"My dearest Momo," the Duke came to her side and gave her chaste kiss on her cheek, "did I wake you up?"

"Are you going somewhere, your Highness?" Momo said behind her heavy eyelids.

"It's an emergency. I'll be back before it lights"

"Is it going to be fun?" Momo asked, suddenly her sleepiness seemed to disappear.

"With all due this respect, your Highness…." Byakuya said in irritation.

But before he could continue the to-be-Duchess had flashed a brightening smile at the Duke and said in her sweetest voice, knowing that the Duke couldn't refuse her puppy eyes and the way she said his nickname, "I want to go too, please, Toro."

XxXxXxXxXx

"I love it when it's cold in the morning. It's so refreshing, especially, when we are riding in the woods like this." The Duchess said cheerfully and the Duke just nodded at whatever she said, totally ignoring the pissed of Byakuya riding behind them.

"Oh my goodness, look at that. Are those angels that just fell from the sky, your Highness?" Momo said in surprise, showing her future husband what seemed to be two pairs of four creatures not lying too far away from each other. "It must be, for they are naked. So it is true that people from heaven need no clothes at all. Oh, such beautiful creatures in the light of early morning. I could even see the morning dews on their holy bodies."

The Duke tried to cover her eyes, but it was already too late.

"What are you doing, your Highness?" Momo shook off the hands off her face. "It is a bless that we are seeing angels. You should not cover me so."

Byakuya drew his sword out, ready to get off his horse, "I'll kill him with my own sword."

But the Duke was faster than him, his sword was already at Byakuya's neck before he could take of, "Think, gentleman. Think, about you and your family honor."

"I'm saving our honor with his death."

"You are tainting it with his blood. Think of your sister. If he's dead now, who is going to protect her virtue with a marriage?"

"I don't need a thief to protect our honor. Ichigo will do it. He loves her enough to look over this little flaw."

"That, we have to see. Give me your cloak." He then threw his cloak and Byakuya's over the bodies of the two ladies. "Ladies and gentlemen," he said loudly, riding his horse around the four sleeping creatures. "It's time to get up and explain this little dilemma."

As soon as the poor creatures woke, they looked at each other in absolute terror, and the ladies immediately covered themselves with the cloaks. They were too shocked to say anything, so the Duke had to raise his voice with a commanding tone for them to talk. "Gentlemen, speak and explain yourselves."

"I…" Renji said first, "I don't know what happened. It's like I've been walking in my own dream. My mind is a hazy mess. I don't remember how and when I get here. All I remember is that I love my dear Rukia deeply, and I have asked her run away with me into this forest."

"See, my Highness. He has confessed his crime. Give him his deserved punishment. Death sentence for treason again the reign." Byakuya said coldly.

"Then kill me too brother if you desire his head so much.'

Byakuya seemed to be softened by the determination of his beloved sister, so willingly to die for her love, but then he rode closer to Ichigo, "Ichigo, this man has stolen your wife and my sister. As a gentleman, should you fight for our honor?"

Ichigo looked at Byakuya, "My lord, with all due respect, I have no desire for his head. He is my friend and will be remaining so. My heart now belongs to my dear Orihime who had told me about the elope and had courageously gone into this forest with me just for sake of her affection to me." He then turned his head to the Duke, "Your Highness, please do me a favor and bless me with a marriage to Orihime Inoue."

"Toro," Momo said affectionately to her husband-to-be, "how could you deny those devoted lovers. Look, they are so much in love with one another so much. Renji and Rukia, Ichigo and Orihime. I would be glad if we can have the three weddings together. The more the merrier, isn't it so Toro?"

The Duke kissed his bride's hand, "Of course, my love, you are always right." He turned to the four lovers, "Ladies and gentlemen, try to get dressed and be ready. I wish to have the wedding tonight. So make sure you'll be ready at the temple for it."

"Your Highness…"

But before Byakuya could protest, the Duke had rode close to spoke to him in a low voice, "My Lord, please stop to be so stubborn. Renji is a worthy suitor. You are lucky that we are the only persons here now. Think. Think of what'd happen if others see this. Have the weddings as soon as possible for the sake of Athens! I'm not gonna lose my two best fighters and the honor of Athen for the sake of your selfishness."

XxXxXxXx

"Am I dreaming, my dear." Renji asked Rukia, after the three people had left. "Is that your brother... and the Duke…. and his bride? Did the Duke just say something about a wedding, our wedding, my love?"

"My love?" Rukia said sarcastically, "so I'm your love now, not the gentle and utmost beautiful Orihime anymore?"

"What are you saying, my silly?" He touched his forehead with hers. "Did you have a bad dream my love?"

Rukia blinked. He was right. It must be a nightmare, what happened last night. There was no way he could change his heart in just a second for her best friend.

"Do you still love me, Renji?"

"Of course, my love. You are my life." Renji rubbed his nose with hers. "I'll love you until the day I die."

XxXxXxXx

As soon as Rukia and Renji left, Orihime tightened the collar of the cloak around her neck, making sure that it would cover her completely before standing up, making her way out of the forest.

"Where are you going, Inoue?"

"To my home." Orihime said, giving Ichigo her back.

"I...We...We need to talk, Inoue."

"Sorry, I want to go home."

"Please," Ichigo turned her back only to see her face was dampened in tears. "I, I'm sorry," was all what he could manage to say.

"Sorry for what," Orihime raised her voice, tears still rolling on her cheeks, "for not loving me, for saying cruel things to me, for abandoning me in the dark, or for teasing me and my love for you with lies?" Orihime wiped her tears with her arm, "Do you know what hurt the most, Kurosaki-kun, that is the way you make it sound so real saying 'I love you' when I know it was a joke?"

"I am not joking." Ichigo came closer to Orihime, which unexpectedly causing her to step backward, "Inoue, I did not joke when I said I love you, nor ever my mind was as clear." He gave her his hand, hoping she would take it, but she continued to back away.

"Then to say what you just said is true, then the way your heart falls (in love) is faster than an autumn leaf. Now you say you love me, but once a wind pass through you're going to fall for another."

"Rukia was a mistake."

"Oh, then I'll be another mistake when you talk to another girl."

Ichigo swept his hand over his face, "Inoue, are you seriously questioning my fidelity? Is that what you think of me, an inconstant bastard?"

"No, I'm not questioning your fidelity. I have known for the past three years that you only have Rukia in your eyes. That is why I'm questioning the validity of your claim."

"You still don't believe that I love you?"

"I have no proof to believe so."

"Then I'll give you a proof." He grabbed her head and pressed his lips against hers. Her body was trembling in his arms, but she closed her eyes soon after the contact, and he decided to close his eyes too. He felt like he was ten again, crying in the arms of a stranger, with the wind blowing in his hair and the sound of water rippling in his ears. The world calmed down again. He was home again, in the arms of Orihime Inoue. With this he knew, and he knew she knew it too, that they were right for one another, and they were standing right where they belonged, in each other arms.

As they soon broke the contact, he whispered against her ears, "It's good to be in your arms again."

Orihime widened her eyes, "I… I what are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about this," Ichigo hugged his love tightly in his arms, "it's just like nine years ago. I'm at peace again in your arms, so please keep your arms open for me. Please keep me safe in your arms, from now until the end of our days."

He knew he got the answer the moment his shoulders were burned with tears.

"But Kurosaki-kun….I am the one who is safe in your arms." Orihime sniffed in his chest.

"So I take it as a yes."

"A yes for what?"

"For agreeing to take my hand in marriage and be my bribe in tonight wedding."

"Tonight!" Orihime exclaimed, "But I haven't prepared anything, I didn't even have a dress yet."

"Come on, look at me." He laughed, gesturing at himself, "I'm still totally naked, but I'm so ready for tonight's wedding."

Orihime blushed and covered her eyes. "Do you want to share my cloak?"

"No, I'm utterly happy with my wife being covered completely and safely in that cloak, so please don't do anything to change it." Ichigo scowled, "but who in the world could have taken our clothes away? Is this a stupid joke from some stupid fairies?"

"Shhh," Orihime placed her fingers on Ichigo's mouth, "you shouldn't defy the fairies of this forest. Maybe they are punishing us for being too loud in their forest."

"By taking our clothes off? They must have hidden them somewhere. Do you want to find our clothes with me, Inoue?"

"No, I think we should just go home quickly and prepare for our wedding tonight."

Ichigo pulled Orihime playfully into his body, "you are so right my dear. But promise me that we will pay them back. Next time, we'll go to this forest again, just the two of us. We won't be as loud as last night , but we'll make sure they wouldn't be able to forget all the sounds we are going to make," he kissed her, "for a while."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

(1) "Why should you think that I should woo in scorn?

Scorn and derision never come in tears:

Look, when I vow, I weep; and vows so born,

In their nativity all truth appears.

How can these things in me seem scorn to you,

Bearing the badge of faith, to prove them true?"

This means: "Why do you think I'm making fun of you when I tell you I love you? People don't cry when they're mocking do you think I'm making fun of you when I tell you I love you? People don't cry when they're mocking someone." Quote from No Fear Shakespeare.

(2) "You do advance your cunning more and more.

When truth kills truth, O devilish-holy fray!

These vows are Hermia's: will you give her o'er?

Weigh oath with oath, and you will nothing weigh:

Your vows to her and me, put in two scales,

Will even weigh, and both as light as tales."

means: "You get trickier and trickier. You've made the same promises to me and to Hermia—they can't both be true! They must both be false. The promises you're making to me belong to Hermia. Will you abandon her? If you weighed the promises you made to me against the promises you made to her, they'd come out the same—they both weigh nothing. They're lies." Quoted from No Fear Shakespeare.

(3), (4) and (5) are from the play.

(6) "You are unkind, Demetrius; be not so;

For you love Hermia; this you know I know:

And here, with all good will, with all my heart,

In Hermia's love I yield you up my part;

And yours of Helena to me bequeath,

Whom I do love and will do till my death."

means: "Don't be cruel, Demetrius. I know you love Hermia, and you know I know it. Right here, right now, I swear I'm giving up all my claims on her and handing her to you. In exchange, give up your claim to love Helena, since I love her and will love her until I die."

(7) light translation from the play

(8), (9) from the play

(10) 'And will you rent our ancient love asunder,

To join with men in scorning your poor friend?

It is not friendly, 'tis not maidenly:

Our sex, as well as I, may chide you for it,

Though I alone do feel the injury.' is from the play

(11), (12), (13) from the play

(14) The original:"Why, get you gone! Who is 't that hinders you?"

(15)-(17) from the play


End file.
